Movie: Mystic River (2003)

What a movie! Clint Eastwood outdoes himself as a director. The cast includes the likes of Sean Penn, Tim Robbins and Kevin Bacon. Set in the streets of Boston, this disturbing movie dwells in the darkness of repressed memories from childhood and the permanent scars they leave behind. Three Isrish boys who share a devastating secret from their boyhood are thrust into an adulthood of suspicion, anxiety and distrust. One day as the biys are playing in Southi a man abducts one of boys before the very eyes of his two friends. The boy appears a few days later.
Davey(Robbins), the kidnapped boy grows up to have a young son. One of the other two boys Jimmy(Penn), has a daughter and the otherSean (Bacon) ,becomes a cop. Jimmy's daughter is found brutally murdered and Davey is under suspicision. What happens next, forms the rest of the movie.

As I have mentioned before, Eastwood has the ability to make his actors shine in their own light as he proves it yet again in this movie. Penn would bag the best actor award and Robbins would win the best supporting actor award. Unfortunately for Clint he would loose the best movie and directorial award to the last part of the Lord of the rings Trilogy. Mystic river is a super flick.

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Movie: Dead Man Walking (1996)

This phenomental movie from Tim Robbins is a brilliant adaptation of Sister Helen Prejean's non fiction book. The movie is focuses on the interaction between a convicted murderer and rapist(Penn) and a sympathetic nun. The brilliance of Tim Robbins' direction is that he takes no sides on the issue of whether the criminal is deserving of the death penalty but offers the point of view of the nun who is against it and the point of view of the victims' families that seek justice.

While we cannot feel any sympathy for Penn's character, Penn's performance humanizes him. One of the best scenes in the film is when the family of the condemned man visit him for the last time. An intelligent and mesmerizing film.Both lead stars give outstanding performances. Penn recived a nomination for his role while Sarandon picked up an Oscar for her role.

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Movie: Carlito's Way (1993)

Al Pachino and Brian De Palma join forces once again for this movie, that unfortunately did not become a great commericial hit. The most memorable performance in this movie is from Sean Penn. The basic premise is that once you are into organized crime, you are there to stay.
A Puerto Rican mobster(Pachino) returns after serving time in the hopes of turning a new leaf. He resumes his relationship with his supportive girlfriend(Penelope Ann Miller) and seems to be on track toward his ideal. Alas, his loyalty to his slimy defence attorney(Penn) will deny his retribution.
The best performance in this flickis from Penn. One feels such disgust and loathing for his charcter. To evoke such stromg feelings from a viewer is a feat only an actor of Penn's caliber can pull off. In my opinion, Penn deserved a supporting actor nomination from the academy.

Here's some interesting trivia:
In the movie, the attorney kills a con who threatens him. (I can't remember his name) This actor who plays the con was recently in the news. He testified in Robert Blake's trial. He claimed that Blake tried to talk him into killing his, Blake's wife.

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Movie: She's So Lovely(1997)

This is a 'cute little adult movie' written by John Cassavetes and directed by Nick Cassavetes.An alcoholic lowlife(Sean Penn) and his lowlife wife(Robin Wright Penn, aka. Forest gump's girlfriend) are madly in love. They live in a seedy building and she is having his baby. A terrible turn of events forces the alcoholic to end up behind bars for a decade.
He returns after serving time to find that his girlfriend is now married to a great guy(John Travolta) who is a great father to his daughter and has two kids of his own with her. The lowlife is determined to win her back and the great guy wants her.
Then follows a great meeting of the minds. Its lowlife vs. greatguy, or Travolta vs.
Penn. In the unexpected end, not everyone is happy but everyone gets what they deserve, including the children. A great 'wicked' watch.

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Movie: Hurlyburly (New Line Platinum Series) (1998)

What a movie! what a cast, what a set of weirdoes.
Here is the cast:
Sean Penn, Kevin Spacey, Robin Wright Penn, Garry Shandling,Anna Paquin ,Meg Ryan et al.
It's decadence in Hollywood with cocaine, power and money. Penn plays a casting agent who is part of a restless bunch of people, who talk incessantly about sex, power and like me are great arm chair philosophers. This movie is based on a play by David Rabe.
Great performances throughout make it memorable and enjoyable. The conversation condemned by many is very well crafted.I cannot say much more about the movie or plot. I can, however, recommend it.

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Movie: The Pledge(2001)

Tripple Oscar winning thespian Nicholson teams up for the second time with Sean Penn to produce this offbeat, 'wierd' detective tale.
Nicholson plays an aging detective just 6 hours from retirement. He takes on the task of solving the murder of a young girl. His partner forces a confession of the murder from a retarde man.
The detective is not convinced that they have the right man and goes on a search till it becomes a sick obsession. The end is unexpected but a real nadir.
Moral: Offbeat endings do not always a good movie make.
Grade: Fair

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Movie: The Crossing Guard(1995)

Directed by Sean Penn, this movie stars Jack Nicholson, Angelica Houston and David Morse.
A girl is the victim of a fatal drunken driving accident. Her father(Jack Nicholson) wants retribution. The guilt-striken culprit(David Morse) wants punishment. The scene where the vengeful father confonts his daughter's killer is one of the greatest highlights of this movie. David Morse holds his own against the veteran thespian Nicholson.
However, the end was a bit of a let-down, a little too dramatic in this case. Clearly, directing is not Penn's forte. Still watchable because of some great performances.

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