Project-Blu 'Mystic River' Blu-ray Review, By Nate Boss

Mystic River

By: Nate Boss, 2.3.2010

The Movie Itself:
If ever I had a cinema experienced ruined, it would be for the film I'm about to review. I'm not a popcorn and candy kinda guy at the movies, but when out on a date, well, you can't act like a cheap ass. You COULD, kinda, but it wouldn't work out that good. Anyways, after about fifteen minutes of the film, I was asked to go grab something from the stand. In doing so, I missed the scene from which the entire remainder of the film was based on. I was not a happy camper that day...and the popcorn sucked.

From the novel by Dennis Lehane to the big screen. From Boston to, err...Boston. From the vision of Clint Eastwood to the world, Mystic River. The winner of two acting Academy Awards, with another acting nomination (as well as three other noms, including the three big non-acting categories) to boot. From a $30 million budget to $156 million made worldwide.

Let's just face it: Mystic River is a smashing success.

I expect no less from Clint Eastwood, the man behind many a critical darling these years, from Million Dollar Baby and Unforgiven to Changeling, Gran Torino and Letters from Iwo Jima, the man makes a quality product. It's a combination of the right scripts for the right man for the job, and the way the western legend has made films these last few decades, it seems he can do no wrong. He may go down in history for his roles in Sergio Leone's films (and due to Dirty Harry), but the greatest works of the man with no name are the ones where he helmed the film.

Every inch of this story is pure Boston. From the past, where a trio of young boys experience extreme trauma that ends friendships, and lives as they are known, to the present, where the lads have grown up, and have families of their own, Mystic River is anything but a coming of age flick or tale of adult responsibility. When Jimmy (Sean Penn)'s daughter Katie (Emmy Rossum) turns up dead, the search is on for her killer(s). Dave (Tim Robbins) is acting suspicious, and has all the tell tale signs of being the killer. The third lad turned adult, Sean (Kevin Bacon), is the homicide detective on the case. Sean has to find the killer before Jimmy and his goons find him themselves, or find someone they feel should take the rap. Dave has to convince Jimmy and his wife, Celeste (Marcia Gay Harden) that he's an innocent man, at least, innocent in the case of Katie Markum. Jimmy has to play judge, jury, and executioner. He doesn't want the cops finding the killer. He wants that job all to himself.

Talk about an all star cast, giving lights out performances! Penn, Robbins, and Bacon are all superb, with the first two winning acting Oscars for their roles (Bacon, sorry man, all three of you couldn't win), but the supporting cast is lights out. Gay Harden is utterly fantastic, probably in her career defining role, as the woman who has doubts about the honesty and innocence of her husband. Laura Linney plays Jimmy's wife, in a forgettable role, while Laurence Fishburne plays the second fiddle to Sean's detective. With the six lead roles being played by such powerhouses, who even needs any other actors? In my opinion, not Eastwood, as every minute focusing on these stars, with minimal background characters, brings out the best in this film.

Sure, as good as Mystic River is, it's not perfect. It couldn't be perfect. Actors had to play Bostonians, and, as such, a few put out some severely awful accents, particularly Linney. Penn was frustrating to listen to, but Gay Harden, my lord, fantastic. Having seen her in so many roles in the past, it was unbelievable the things I heard coming out of her mouth, yet, at the same time, I accepted them as if that were her naturally. She sells (and steals) every second she's on screen. Every. Second.

The film has plenty of misleads and drama around every corner, leaving first time viewers guessing at every moment. It's somewhat fun, to watch the film steer in one direction, then another, and another, with themes that constantly play out to replay again, with the early trauma playing a massive role in what every man becomes. The early scenes may stick out like a sore thumb at first, in the grand narrative, though, they all make sense, and fit as perfectly as O.J.'s glove. Wait...scratch that. The point is, everything is there for a reason, the crafting is meticulous, thorough. The secrets deep, the characters even deeper.

Mystic River continues to wow with each revisitng. The performances are captivating, while the characters each actor portrays are deep and realistic, flawed, natural. Most importantly, extremely believable in their writing and portrayal. The story these characters populate is deep enough to give each character plenty to do, even with limited screen time for some. Those who haven't given the film a chance yet need to go out of their way and finally give it a go. Mystic River belongs in the scenery of any fine film collection, regardless of taste or genre favorites.
Rating: 9/10

The Presentation:
Mystic River hits Blu-ray with a VC-1 1080p encode at 2.40:1 that looks quite nice, but has some issues that prevent it from being a top tier title, like the film is. In honor of Eastwood, the video presentation will be laid out like his most beloved film role.

The good? I found much to praise in this release, which has sharp edges, fantastic depth, and beautiful skin tones (which sometimes wear the moody night and day presence of the film, which is either bright bright or dark dark). Aliasing is not so much an issue, with only a few tiny moments that look awkward. Facial details are ever present, and the detail in the surroundings, the worn out Boston background, are superb.

The bad? Black levels aren't constant (including a few flickers of bright blacks), nor are grain levels. There's a bit of light ringing, though it isn't a major issue. A few specks of dirt and a scratch or two are visible in the print, while some blue horizontal lines are present in two scenes, which are all faults of the print, not the Blu-ray master. The video can find itself stuttering a couple times, as well.

The ugly? Delineation issues. The film has moments where darkness doesn't matter, as shadow detail can be quite solid, preventing the dark film from eating itself alive. The later the film goes, it seems, the less shadow detail is visible. By the climax of the film, it is a black freaking glob on screen.

The audio for Mystic River is presented by way of a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix, with an assortment of subtitles and dub tracks. There is much less to talk about on the sonic side of the film, as it is a somewhat reserved, methodical mystery of sorts, not high on action, or even tense moments. The dialogue all comes through clear, even in the Bostonian accents. Hearing all the actors with these voices (some good, some awful) would normally drive me insane trying to comprehend, but this track is clear enough that each and every word was crisp. The rears find occasional bits, mostly atmosphere (light) and score, the occasional bit of movement. Directionality is solid, but understated, as are most of the dynamics in this release. There is some light movement to be found, as well, and a few bits of directionality, but this is a no-frills movie in the audio department. It's somewhat new, by film standards, but it just isn't rocking the audio.
Rating: 8/10 (video score: 7.8/10, audio score: 7.5/10)

The Extras:
Audio Commentary with Robbins and Bacon

Dennis Lehane Tours the Boston Neighborhood Setting of his Novel in Mystic River: Beneath the Surface

Mystic River: From Page to Screen

The Charlie Rose Show: Interviews with Eastwood, Robbins, and Bacon

Theatrical Trailers
Rating: 4/10

Overall:
Mystic River may pale in comparison to some of Eastwood's later directed films (Gran Torino, Million Dollar Baby), but that doesn't make it any less an awesome, powerful tale. This Blu-ray release contains solid, though unspectacular presentation qualities, and a fairly soft pile of extras. This title still comes with great commendations, and recommendations.
Rating: 7/10