NMR: Island castoffs

Here's a pair of films I caught last weekend that have connections to another film I recently saw, Shutter Island.

Mystic River: This one had been floating around in my queue for a while and I finally decided to call it up to the big leagues and give it a watch. Like Shutter Island, Mystic River is a film adaptation of a Dennis Lehane novel. And once again, the Boston, or should I say Baaaahston, influence is heavily felt. At times, the film's story is engrossing. But it's also a frustrating film experience, not just for the uncomfortable story elements, but because it's one of these films that prepares you for one ending so much that you know that won't be the ending and instead something worse will happen in the conclusion. I liked both Tim Robbins and Kevin Bacon's performances in this film, yet its Sean Penn's overt emoting that ends up meriting him the Oscar for some reason. Perhaps most noteworthy for me is that this film marks the first time I've disliked a Laura Linney performance. She's always so spectacular, but here she has a small role and is unlikeable in the small time she's on the screen. You would certainly have to be in the right mood to see this film, but if you find yourself in that situation, you'll probably enjoy the performances and the film. Rating: ***

Cape Fear: I also sought this out since it was another film being directed by Martin Scorsese. Made in 1991, this stars Robert De Niro as Max Cady, a recently paroled rapist who's out to make his defense lawyer's (played by Nick Nolte) life a living hell since he failed to get him an innocent verdict years ago. There are some terrific scenes throughout most of the picture as you watch De Niro's character be so clever in getting under Nolte's skin without doing anything illegal. On the flip side though, I wondered at times how Nolte's character could be so dense and not realize he was playing right into Cady's game. The climax of the film is a bit too long and overwrought, but overall this is a solid thriller and worth a view if you've never seen it before. Rating: ****