'Mystic' remains loyal to novel

Any film based on a book is a challenge to direct. The director must decide which scenes to over-emphasize, which scenes to under-emphasize, which scenes to cut completely and which scenes to explore further. Difficult to say the least. Clint Eastwood, however, takes the magnificent story of "Mystic River" and pilots it with ease, flawlessly capturing the true essence of the book on screen, while still making the story his own. "Mystic River" is the intriguing story of three childhood friends - Sean, Jimmy and Dave. Dave is tragically molested by two abductors claiming to be cops; the event affects all three boys emotionally and causes each of them to veer off his original course. Flash forward to adulthood and these three men have established lives, complete with families and occupations. The tragedy of their past resurfaces, though, when the death of Jimmy's daughter reunites the trio, leading two of the men to an inevitable demise, and the other scarred forever. This film is Eastwood's most pessimistic film to date, yet this is not surprising considering the story is originally authored by Dennis Lehane, who is perhaps the best writer of detective novels in the past 15 years. But "Mystic River" has created something far greater than Lehane could have envisioned: a movie that has swept up audiences with its stirring plot and prodigious characters while not deviating from its original intentions. Eastwood brings Boston to life, creating a separate character, a character that creates nuances all its own. But the most amazing feat was not accomplished by Eastwood; the actors who fill the roles of the three boys as adults materialize the figments of Dennis Lehane's imagination with uncanny performances. Sean Penn (Jimmy) and Tim Robbins (Dave) both won Oscars for their outstanding performances in the film. The awards were no doubt bestowed upon Penn and Robbins for their ability to use expressions alone to convey emotions that took Dennis Lehane countless lines to convey. The adapted screenplay for the film is superbly written by Brian Helgeland and remains faithful to the book - yet the audience, having read the book, must feel that Sean's character (played by Kevin Bacon) is underwritten. The final tragedy of the story plays out as it should, but the audience will also be left wanting more of Dave and Jimmy's inner struggle, which has a profound effect on the reader in the book. Eastwood is attempting not to underestimate his audience - he forces them to understand these deep, humane feelings without the help of a voice-over. But Lehane writes these scenes with such perfection that the audience would long to see a soliloquy played out by Penn and Robbins as they wrestle within their inner sanctum. After reading the book, one will enter the movie knowing the inevitable end. Yet, Eastwood, Penn and Robbins create a freshness which makes the movie as suspenseful as the book. Grade: A