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Mystic River

We bury our sins, we wash them clean.

2003 · 138 min · Thriller
8.6 Modest
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Thriller Drama Mystery Crime

The lives of three men who were childhood friends are shattered when one of them suffers a family tragedy.

Country of origin
🇺🇸 United States
Year
2003
Studio
Warner Bros. Pictures · Village Roadshow Pictures · NPV Entertainment · Malpaso Productions

Trivia & behind the scenes

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Origins

The screenplay, written by Brian Helgeland, was based on the 2001 novel of the same name by Dennis Lehane.

Trivia

Mystic River is the first film for which Clint Eastwood was credited as composer of the score.

Casting

Michael Keaton was originally cast as Det. Sean Devine and even did script readings with the cast and his own research into Massachusetts State Police practices, but creative differences with director Clint Eastwood led to him leaving the production; he was replaced by Kevin Bacon.

Filming

Principal photography took place on location in Boston.

Reception

The film premiered at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival on May 23, 2003, before its wide release on October 15, 2003.

Reception

Mystic River was nominated for six Academy Awards at the 76th ceremony, including Best Picture, and won Best Actor for Sean Penn and Best Supporting Actor for Tim Robbins.

Reception

The film earned $156.8 million worldwide against a budget of only $25–30 million, making it a significant commercial success.

Reception

In 2025, Mystic River was included in readers' voting for The New York Times' 'Readers' Choice' list of the 100 Best Movies of the 21st Century, finishing at number 318.

Memorable quotes

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As I was holding him under the water...I could feel God watching me, shaking his head. Not angry...but like if a puppy shit on a rug.

Jimmy Markum Confessing to a heinous act with disturbing detachment.

Dave's dead. I don't know who came out of that cellar, but it sure as shit wasn't Dave.

Dave Boyle Reflecting on what he has become after surviving childhood trauma.

I'm gonna find him, Katie. I'm gonna find him before the police do. I'm gonna find the man, and I'm gonna kill him.

Jimmy Markum Swearing vengeance after his daughter's murder.

It's like vampires. Once it's in you...it stays.

Dave Boyle Explaining how trauma and violence become part of you forever.

The death part you do alone, but I could have helped her with the dying.

Jimmy Markum Tormented by the distinction between dying and death.

We bury our sins here, Dave. We wash them clean.

Jimmy Markum Speaking to Dave about burial and redemption.

It makes you feel...alone, you know, hurting somebody.

Dave Boyle Describing the isolation of inflicting pain on another.

Maybe one day you wake up and you forget what it's like...to be human. Maybe then it's okay.

Dave Boyle Considering whether losing one's humanity might offer peace.

[after finding Katie's body] What the fuck am I gonna tell him? 'Hey, Jimmy... ...God said you owed another marker. He came to collect.'

Sean Devine Processing the discovery of Katie's body.

I'm tired of caring about some dead girl, and...there's just gonna be another one after her. Sending killers to jail is sending them where...they've been heading all their lives. The dead are still dead.

Sean Devine Expressing existential despair about justice and death.

How the community felt

😵 Shocked 60%
😭 Sad 60%
🤔 Thoughtful 20%

What people are saying (1)

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T

Torrezno

1 week ago

Review ★ 10

Un dramón policíaco dirigido por un señor mayor y protagonizado por señoros muy intensos y mujeres muy arpías. Pero también un peliculón donde Clint Eastwood da una lección magistral de dirección de actores, de manejo del ritmo, de montaje y de cómo dejar al espectador con la mirada fija a la pantalla mientras le pega una hostia de esas que hacen época. Una obra maestra.

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