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A couple of my problems with Mystic River (Spoilers)

posted 8 years ago by hannahbtcgte
14 replies | jump to latest

This movie was alright, a little overrated in my opinion, but anyway, one thing that really bothered me in this film is how Jimmy says: "Tell me the truth and I'll give you your life", as though Dave's life is his to take in the first place, not that it's a problem that I have with the movie, it just pisses me off. Another thing that bothered though me was the murder, Silent Ray being the killer would have made for a good plot twist if there had been good reason behind it, but the fact that it was an accident just seemed sort of anti-climactic. I had a couple of other small issues with the film but I just wanted to mention the above.

[–] wildbill8276 8 years ago

I don't understand why that line would piss you off. Dave's life was Jimmy's to take or give, because he had the knife.

He even proved the point by killing him; he would have equally proved it by walking away and letting Dave live.

If you're pissed because of some altruistic, intangible social crap about one person not having the "right" to decide if someone lives or dies, I'd say you need to step out of your bubble and take a look at reality.

[–] Castrey67 8 years ago

How is it intangible if people go to jail for killing other people everyday. Granted Jimmy wasn't caught but there is no statue of limitations on murder.
I think you are the one living in a bubble if you think holding a weapon means that person's life is for the other to take or give. The person may end up doing it but many of those people face consequences so obviously the criminal system views it differently. It isn't a legal right.

Then there is something called karma. Jimmy killed Just Ray leaves his children fatherless and then his son kills his daughter and Jimmy is too stupid to realize his role in all this.

[–] hccman2000 8 years ago

I agree with the op. However, I have a problem with Dave's wife named Celeste. The dumb bi$&h lost her confidence, which spouse's are not supposed to do, and then she put all her faith in a cold blooded killer(Penn) who then plays judge, jury, and executioner. Ok, now comes the dumbest part of the story or movie where she is calling around wondering where Dave is after she sold him down the river. I mean this dumb woman, which pisses me off, is crying at the parade at the end and looking at Penn's wife and I just wanted to smash her brains in. I continually have to remind myself that this is just a movie, however I cannot get past this part. Being unbiased, are most women this stupid to unleash something like this to their husband?

[–] C_Dubya 8 years ago

He was acting very weird and guilty and threatening though. What should a woman do if she has reason to believe her husband killed someone? My only issue was that she told Jimmy instead of the police. And you're right, no one other than Celeste gave a damn when the killer turned out to be someone else.

[–] [email protected] (1615) 5 years ago

She's been married to him all these years, knowing his past, and still, she doesn't know him? You'd give up your spouse for doubt? Scary.

[–] daddysarm 8 years ago

Wives are wild-cards, every day, in every way. Yes, most women are like that. With wives, there is a whole other set of emotions on top that makes it even more volatile. Here's a SAT-type question for you:

American women & marriage are like a fire &

a) ice cream
b) a flat-screen TV
c) gasoline
d) lemonade

Give it a go.

[–] [email protected] (1615) 5 years ago

She pissed me off as well.

As to your question if women are really like this, I think it's sad that you guys no longer can relate to the opposite sex, no parent, sibling, grandparent, etc to relate to. The breakdown of your family unit is the breakdown of your society and culture.

[–] jjoxx 8 years ago

There was good reason behind Ray's role as the killer. When Sean explains it to Jimmy at the end on the curb, chalking it up to random chance and a couple of irresponsible kids...well, it should be clear that was most likely the story Ray and his friend went with when they confessed at the police station.

From the confrontation in the Harris kitchen though, we know the truth is more tragic. "Silent" Ray, a 15 year old kid so downtrodden by being born to a criminal lowlife and an unloving mother that he's rendered mute, only has one person in the world he truly loves - his older brother Brendan. When he discovers suddenly that this one person is going to move across the country, leaving him behind alone in an otherwise uncaring city...he takes his father's gun hidden in the ceiling and kills the girl Brendan was going to abandon him for.

It's a crime of passion, like all the others depicted in this tragedy.

[–] micirisi 8 years ago

Exactly. Any viewer who thinks the mute kid (and accomplice) accidently murdered his future sister-in-law needs to watch again.

He killed sixteen Czechoslovakians. Guy was an interior decorator.

[–] C_Dubya 8 years ago

I thought it was because Brendan's mother was always saying Katie was no good for him. Maybe she and the boy knew the Markum family had something to do with Ray's disappearance. But then again they were getting money every month, purportedly from Ray, so maybe not.

[–] Synthia7 8 years ago

There was good reason behind Ray's role as the killer. When Sean explains it to Jimmy at the end on the curb, chalking it up to random chance and a couple of irresponsible kids...well, it should be clear that was most likely the story Ray and his friend went with when they confessed at the police station.

From the confrontation in the Harris kitchen though, we know the truth is more tragic. "Silent" Ray, a 15 year old kid so downtrodden by being born to a criminal lowlife and an unloving mother that he's rendered mute, only has one person in the world he truly loves - his older brother Brendan. When he discovers suddenly that this one person is going to move across the country, leaving him behind alone in an otherwise uncaring city...he takes his father's gun hidden in the ceiling and kills the girl Brendan was going to abandon him for.

It's a crime of passion, like all the others depicted in this tragedy.

So, glad you explained to these people. It's clear in the movie that the boy kills out of jealousy and because he felt betrayed by the brother.

I'm so tired of people superficially discussing this movie and criticizing things because their perception is wrong.

You have more patience than I do.
_____________________________________________________________________
"I thought you were class,like a high note you hit once in a lifetime."- Young Man With a Horn(1950)

[–] chungmusic 7 years ago

I had the same problem. The pathetic motive for killing Katie is the weakest link of the screenplay.

On top of that, I had a huge problem with Celeste, Sean, Jimmy and Annabeth. Celeste made a supremely dumb decision by tipping off Jimmy about Dave (what a dumb woman she is!), and at the start when Dave said he was mugged she DID NOT believe him either. So at the end of the day, her lack of faith in her spouse led her life to unravel and his death. At the end, there's some clear indication that she regretted her actions. She first sees Sean with his wife and kid, happy. Then she sees Annabeth, happy. Then she got ignored by her son when she called out to him. I don't blame him.

Now Sean and Jimmy. How dare they act as victims when Dave was the one who was molested when they were kids. I'm sorry but them comparing themselves to Dave at the end pissed me off so much, I repeat THEY WERE NOT VICTIMS. There is a massive difference between the three. Dave suffered, they did not. And I found it so frustrating that Sean just shrugged off Jimmy's implication that he killed both Ray and Dave as if nothing happened. He is a cop, he has a duty.

Now onto Annabeth. She was so very irrelevant to the story that I didn't even notice her until the end when she justified Jimmy killing Dave wasn't a mistake because he did it with good intention. What a whole load of bullcrap. Who he the hell is she to judge if killing someone with good intention is right or not?

By the time the credits started rolling I was so livid that I had to remind myself it was just a movie. I wish someone would've murdered all these 4 characters so I could be satisfied but alas it didn't happen.

One day in the year of the fox came a time remembered well...

[–] hannahbtcgte 7 years ago

When I wrote my post I was trying to minimize my problems with the movie to avoid having to deal with extreme fans of the movie being pissed off and writing long angry posts at me, but to be honest, your post almost more accurately describes how I felt after watching the movie than my own post does. You made some very good points, this one in particular:

Sean and Jimmy. How dare they act as victims when Dave was the one who was molested when they were kids. I'm sorry but them comparing themselves to Dave at the end pissed me off so much, I repeat THEY WERE NOT VICTIMS. There is a massive difference between the three. Dave suffered, they did not.

It really bothered me too when Sean said that sometimes he felt like they all got in that car, because okay, but you didn't. Neither you nor Jimmy got into that car, yet you are both bigger jerks than Dave, and you both seem to view yourselves as victims but at the same time somehow not even seem to care that much about Dave. It had the potential to be an enjoyable movie but I had too many problems with it.

[–] dxben99 (63) 7 years ago

Well it's not exactly supposed to make you cheer for Jimmy. I bet there are a lot of movies where characters do things that you don't approve of. I don't really get your point here.

In response to your second point: You and many others seem to not have watched the entire scene in the kitchen. Ray Jr.'s motives were pretty much clearly mentioned there. His brother was the one person in his family he really loved and who actually cared for him and he didn't want to be abandoned by him. The mother clearly didn't give two sh-ts about both boys and Brendan was dead set on eloping with Katie. Katie's death was in no way accidental!