Finally saw "Mystic River" last night

[bif]

What a great movie. But could it get any more depressing?

[zingaro]

1. Not really. But wasn't it great?

[bif]

2. The acting was incredible

[LostinVA]

3. Most depressing movie EVER -- but fantastic

[zingaro]

4. The Departed was pretty depressing, too. And as well acted.

Think it's a Boston movie thing? :)

[LostinVA]

5. Or an Irish-American Boston thing?

[zingaro]

8. Good point. Perhaps the comingling of the two.

[Gormy Cuss]

9. Ding Ding Ding!

Mystic River had many characters who were sadly reminiscent of New England Irish-Americans that I've known, particularly the Townies with their code of silence.

[hedgehog]

22. I submit that it's an Irish thing independent of Boston

as proof - I submit NBC's Black Donnellys, due to re-play Thursday

See also:

Michael Collins

The Informer

Angela's Ashes

This is my Father

Braveheart (It's really an Irish movie although it's set in Scotland)

Titanic (Even though none of the main characters were Irish!)

[hedgehog]

6. My children have a theory on this:

Irish movie : everyone dies in the end

Happy Irish movie: the bad guys die in the end

[CaliforniaPeggy]

7. My dear bif.........

Oh yes, "Mystic River" was outstanding! And depressing......

I just picked up the DVD of "The Departed" at Costco yesterday!

Can't wait to see it!

[Alexander]

10. I thought it was pretentious and the symbolism was forced.

How obvious can you get, then Sean Penn with a huge tattooed cross on his back?

[Dora]

11. I didn't care for the movie much myself.

I thought Mystic River was to movies what Kraft Singles are to cheese.

[amitten]

12. Great analogy. And the ending SUCKED. Very amateur. n/t

[mitchum]

21. Agreed...it's what I call a "handsome production"...

and is only "good" by default (because it's not an Adam Sandler, The Rock, or whoever vehicle)

It was boneheadedly pretentious

[graywarrior]

13. The book totally rocked.

Movie was great, but the book surpasses it by 1000%

[dropkickpa]

14. Yep yep yep

I really like Dennis Lehane's books, and Mystic River was fantastic!

[graywarrior]

15. Dennis is such an amazing writer. One of the BEST.

Course, I come from Boston, so I relate to most of his stuff.

[dropkickpa]

18. Last I heard

he wasn't gonna do anymore of the Kenzie-Gennaro books, which bums me out big time, but if he keeps coming out with ones like MR, I'll survive.

Every single "where should you live" quiz I've ever taken has told me Boston is the best fit for me. I've been there several times, and just love it, but could never afford to live there.

[graywarrior]

20. Bostonians can't afford to live there!

I'm surprized he is not going to write anymore of those books. They are his best (to us crazy Bostonians-actually I'm from Lynn, but he always mentions Lynn at least once in each novel).

You can always move to a suburb of Boston. Subway and bus services are pretty good. But it is hard to find a good place to live there.

[LibraLiz1973]

24. Speaking of Lehane

Ben Affleck just finished directing "Gone,Baby,Gone".
Ben wrote the screenplay for it.

The cast is Morgan Freeman, Casey Affleck, Ed Harris, Michelle Monaghan


Gone,Baby,Gone is my favorite Lehane book to date.

[graywarrior]

26. OMG, mine too!

Awesome.

[PVnRT]

16. Meh

It was OK, I guess.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

17. I loved it.

Also got the DVD brand-new, for $10, and it came with Clint Eastwood's score included. :thumbsup:

[bigwillq]

19. One of my faves

Just amazing...end was kind of kooky but the rest made up for it.

What amazing performances.

[LibraLiz1973]

23. I loved it- but I balled my eyes out. The book was better though

But Sean Penns acting was phenomenal. I started crying during the scene where he realizes Katie's body is lying there and he starts screaming her name & the cops are all holding him back.

[KitchenWitch]

25. I felt raw for a day or so after seeing it.

:hug: