Mystic River

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2:20

Mystic River

R

2003

2h 17m

Crime

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

89%

Tomatometer

203 Reviews

89%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

When the daughter of ex-con Jimmy Marcus is murdered, two of his childhood friends from the neighborhood are involved. Dave, a blue-collar worker, is the last person to see her alive, while Sean, a homicide detective, is heading up the case.

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Critics Consensus

Anchored by the exceptional acting of its strong cast, Mystic River is a somber drama that unfolds in layers and conveys the tragedy of its story with visceral power.

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David Germain

Associated Press

Eastwood and his actors create a brooding drama whose events and interrelationships seem surreally improbable yet painfully authentic.

Nov 12, 2018

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Neil Norman

London Evening Standard

It is a film of magisterial, slow-burning power, one of the finest examples of recent American cinematic storytelling and certainly Eastwood's most mature film.

Jan 11, 2018

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Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

Powerful performances in graphic story. Only 16+.

Rated: 3/5

Dec 26, 2010

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Grant Watson

Fiction Machine

At first one might assume the film has been set up to be a tense crime thriller. Instead it is a tragedy: the end result is inevitable from the opening scenes. The characters never express any possibility of doing something else.

Rated: 8/10

Jan 21, 2025

Full Review

David Walsh

World Socialist Web Site

Eastwood's film is rooted in a profound misreading, or more to the point, a profound ignorance of society and human relationships. His false and shallow premises lead the filmmaker to construct an unconvincing, fantastical drama.

Feb 15, 2021

Full Review

Micheal Compton

Bowling Green Daily News

Mystic River features a moving screenplay, solid direction and a superb cast highlighted by Sean Penn's Oscar-worthy performance.

Nov 15, 2019

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Don V

It is a film of magisterial, slow-burning power, one of the finest examples of recent American cinematic storytelling and certainly Eastwood's most mature film.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/29/25

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Rémi V

A gripping and efficiently crafted crime thriller, paired with a psychological study of finely drawn characters and a philosophical reflection on the cyclical nature of violence across generations. The actors are excellent, and the direction is flawless. A sensitive classic of great accuracy and depth.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

11/20/25

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Dylan M.

Keeps you thinking, invokes emotion, has twists, and unlike new movies, has falling action.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/19/25

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William R.

A must watch. I watch this movie every couple of years or so and it never gets old. Sean Penn acting is superb. If you haven’t seen this yet, give it a watch! You will not regret it.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/16/25

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Diego R.

Muy bien hecha en gral

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

11/03/25

Full Review

andras gaspar p

This is my favourite movie.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/20/25

Full Review

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Clint Eastwood

Director

Sean Penn

Jimmy Markum

Tim Robbins

Dave Boyle

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Mystic River: Trailer 1

2:20

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Synopsis

When the daughter of ex-con Jimmy Marcus is murdered, two of his childhood friends from the neighborhood are involved. Dave, a blue-collar worker, is the last person to see her alive, while Sean, a homicide detective, is heading up the case.

Director: Clint Eastwood
Producer: Clint Eastwood, Robert Lorenz, Judie Hoyt
Screenwriter: Brian Helgeland, Dennis Lehane
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co: Malpaso Company, Village Roadshow Prod.
Rating: R (Violence|Language)
Genre: Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 15, 2003, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 2, 2009
Box Office (Gross USA): $90.1M
Runtime: 2h 17m
Sound Mix: Surround

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