Mystic River

Rating: R

Movie Release Date: October 15, 2003

DVD Release Date: June 8, 2004

Plot 411: The lives of three childhood friends are forever changed when one of them is abducted while playing in the street.

Review: This was a gritty drama about three friends Sean (Kevin Bacon), Dave (Tim Robbins) and Jimmy (Sean Penn). When they were children, Dave was taken into a car by two men acting as policemen. He was subsequently held and abused for four days until he escaped. This event shaped the lives of the boys forever. As men, Sean is a police officer, Dave is a blue-collar worker and Jimmy is a former burglar who now owns a grocery store. When Jimmy's daughter Katie (Emmy Rossum) is found murdered, Sean pursues the case with his partner Whitey (Laurence Fishburne) and Jimmy uses his back alley channels to get information. The same night that Katie is killed, Dave comes home bloodied with a slice across his stomach. His tells his wife Celeste (Marcia Gay Harden) that he was mugged and may have killed a man. Dave's psychological health quickly deterioriates and Celeste becomes afraid that he may have done more than he claims. The movie takes a close look at themes like honor, friendship, love and mental health. It poses questions about fate and asks us to contemplate how our small actions may or may not lead to larger consequences. This film also features Laura Linney as Annabeth, Jimmy's wife.

Watch It: For an emotional performance by Penn and an unrecognizably fat Robbins.

Skip It: For another crime drama in Boston based on another book by Dennis Lehane called Gone Baby Gone.

The Player

Rating: R

Movie Release Date: April 10, 1992

DVD Release Date: July 16, 1997

Plot 411: A movie producer murders a regected writer but the show must go on.

Review: This was a really interesting film about the movie industry. While I don't have any firsthand experience with that life, this movie really did paint a complete picture of what it could be like. I'd even go so far as to say it's probably an accurate portrayal. The plot bumps along pretty quickly and keeps your attention, but it's the little things in the background or the dialogue that make this film. The frenetic energy surrounding everything on the studio lot, during meetings and even at parties is all focused on making movies. There's not one aspect of life that seems devoid of trying to get your script produced or get actors on your film. It's all gotta be true. I loved all the snide comments and backstabbing. It's so Hollywood. Tim Robbins plays Griffen Mill, a producer at a major studio who believes he's getting replaced by Larry Levy (Peter Gallagher). In addition to this upheaval at work, he's also getting threatening postcards from one of the writers he hasn't bothered to call back. After confronting this writer (Vincent D'Onofrio), he accidently kills him and covers it up as a robbery. From there Mill's life spirals out of control as he tries to avoid being arrested. His life becomes one of the bad scripts he often rejects.

Watch It: For what I think is a very tongue-in-cheek inside look at the industry and a good idea of the difficulty of "making it" in the business.

Skip It: If you'd prefer to be oblivious and continue to write/audition in a vacuum. It might actually be better for you.