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Review by: Jack Foley | Rating:
Two
DVD SPECIAL FEATURES: Commentary by director Jacob Aaron
Estes, cinematographer Sharon Meir, editor Madeleine Gavin and
actors Josh Peck, Trevor Morgan, Ryan Kelly and Carly Schroeder.
Storyboard. Trailer. Film notes. Region 0.
DEATH and its consequences form the basis for the gripping coming-of-age
drama, Mean Creek, an exceptionally well-acted drama that heralds
the arrival of some major new talent.
Written and directed by first-timer, Jacob Aaron Estes, the film
is a thought-provoking insight into modern adolescence, tackling
issues such as bullying, revenge, friendship and responsibility.
And while it may be inspired by the likes of Stand By Me and
River's Edge, it emerges as a very important film in its own right
- one which doesn't resort to formula or provide any easy answers.
Set in a small Oregon town, the film picks up as shy teenager,
Sam (Rory Culkin), is beaten up by an overweight bully, George
(Joshua Peck), who has been terrorising many a teenage victim
with his aggressive tactics.
Confiding to his protective older brother, Rocky (Trevor Morgan),
the two hatch a plan to gain some playful revenge, thereby enlisting
the help of Rocky's friends, Clyde and Marty (Ryan Kelley and
Scot Mechlowicz) and Sam's budding girlfriend, Millie (Carly Schroeder).
The plan is to entice George on a river trip by pretending it
is Sam's birthday and then stripping and humiliating him in public.
But things begin to go wrong from the outset, as George gradually
reveals a different side to himself, emerging as a lonely kid
with learning difficulties who is desperate for friendship and
attention.
But just as it seems that the prank might be called off, events
take a tragic turn for the worst, forcing each of the surviving
group members to confront the implications of their actions and
decide whether to stand up and take responsibility or remain quiet
for the sake of their friendships.
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It is a tribute to the quality of
Estes' script that the film never shys away from the difficult
issues it confronts, while his direction unfolds in such a fashion
that it never overshadows the work of his cast.
Mean Creek is at its most compelling during the moments building
up to the accident, as each character is forced to deal with George's
transformation while coming to terms with their own feelings and
frustrations.
For Sam, especially, the futility of their revenge seems all-too
apparent, even though George can change from sympathetic to obnoxious
in an instant.
Yet George's continual goading of everyone's insecurities eventually
tips Marty over the edge, especially when the issue of parents
is cruelly brought into play.
The violence that ensues will change everyone's lives forever,
yet far from over-dramatizing the events, the film never loses
a grip on reality, allowing the repurcussions to unfold in an
intense and believable fashion.
Much of this is due to the grounded performances of its superb
cast, who each deliver sincere and complex turns, thereby pulling
audiences in a lot of different directions.
Peck, especially, is terrific as George, exuding menace and vulnerability
with equal measure, while Mechlowicz's rebellious Marty exposes
the confusion of his upbringing in a raw, honest fashion.
Culkin and Schroeder, too, balance the sensitivity of their characters
with a mounting sense of despair over the hopelessness of their
situation.
Mean Creek deservedly won the John Cassavetes Award at the Independent
Spirit Awards in 2004, as well as The Humanitas Award at the Sundance
Film Festival, which only serves to underline its impact on the
coming-of-age genre.
It's a riveting character study that really deserves to make
a big splash with audiences of every age.
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