Mystic River 2003
In 1965, Dennis Lehane was born in Boston and he has developed a strong “author” identity with his mystery and thriller novels. Clint Eastwood’s “Mystic River” is the first novel of the author to be adapted into a film. Directed by Ben Affleck and released in 2007, Gone Baby Gone is an adaptation of the novel Gone Baby Gone from the Kenzie-Gennaro series by the author. Released in 2003, Mystic River is a collaboration between screenwriter Brian Helgeland and Eastwood. The film, starring Sean Penn, Kevin Bacon, Tim Robbins, Laurence Fishburne, Marcia Gay Harden, Laura Linney, and Sean Penn, brought both Penn and Robbins Academy Awards in 2004. Jimmy, Sean, and Dave are three close friends who live in the same neighborhood and are around 10 years old. Like every child, Jimmy dedicates himself to sports in the neighborhood outside of school. One day, while playing outside, they write their names on the newly poured concrete. At that moment, a man with a badge gets out of a nearby car, yells at the three children, and takes Dave from them. Dave, who is detained for 4 days, returns as a completely different person and cuts ties with Jimmy and Sean from that day on. While their “ugliness” briefly embarrasses Jimmy and Sean, Dave is ashamed for life. 25 years later, the paths of the three friends intersect with the murder of Jimmy’s daughter Cathy. Cathy, who has a happy life, goes to a bar with her two friends before the planned Vegas vacation with her boyfriend Brendan. She is found dead after leaving the bar. Police officer Sean starts investigating Cathy’s seemingly attacked file. Sean’s research, gathering great data, will not go beyond that area.
