playing this weekend at the Speakeasy Theatre in Breckenridge.|AP Photo| |

Despite my midgrade rating of “Mystic River,” it’s worth seeing.

It’s a compelling film filled with excellent actors, and the plot isn’t completely predictable. From the first scenes, “Mystic River” pulls in viewers with an intense, emotional story.

Its strength lies in the fact that it’s not just a murder mystery – it delves into the psychology of the characters. But that is also its downfall.

It made me want the film to be even more character-based. The overemphasis on the murder investigation seemed to interfere with the deeper story.

“Mystic River” revolves around the pain three men carry into their lives from a childhood trauma.

As boys, Jimmy (Sean Penn) and Sean (Kevin Bacon) watched child molesters abduct their friend, Dave (Tim Robbins).

Decades later, all three men still live in the same neighborhood, but they have grown apart – until the murder of Jimmy’s oldest daughter brings them back together.

Jimmy swears revenge against the murderer. Sean, a cop, investigates the murder. And Dave’s wife begins to wonder if Dave had a hand in the murder.

The most compelling story rested unmined in Dave’s tortured character. Instead of fleshing out Dave’s mental torture of maintaining a normal life after living through sexual abuse, “Mystic River” only shows snippets of his life, preferring, rather, to focus on Jimmy’s loss.

The actors – both main and supporting – are strong enough to carry the movie had it been more character-based, and the murder mystery could have acted as an aide as opposed to the main act.

To its credit, “Mystic River” injects more emotion – with a sad, ominous tone – than most crime movies.

But in the end, I found it unsatisfying, though to tell you why might give too much away.

I can say, if director Clint Eastwood would have focused on Dave’s character more, he still could have stuck with the plot, and I would have walked out of the theater blown away. The pain of the characters would have stayed with me longer.

Worst of all, he lingered a couple scenes too long, showing an aftermath I think many people may find unsatisfying, even if they like the direction the movie takes.

Kimberly Nicoletti can be reached at (970) 668-3998, ext. 245, or by e-mail at knicoletti@summitdaily.com.