In 2003 Sean Penn reunited with Dead Man Walking director Tim Robbins, who is in front of the camera this time, in a role similar to his death row killer character in terms of toughness, and perhaps could be the same guy if he existed in an alternate timeline where he had a daughter and reformed himself to a degree. Penn adapts his performance appropriately: in addition to taking on the proper Massachusetts accent, he once again dons the kind of vulnerability-masking hardness that we saw him put on as Matthew Poncelet. In Mystic River, he’s shown how much he has matured as an actor, giving perhaps the most nuanced performance of his career at the time. He’s feeling so many mixed emotions throughout the film, mournful sadness and vengeful anger, powerlessness and an obsessive desire for retribution. Often we see him express these emotions all at the same time. It’s a testament to the character’s inability to process emotions he’s never been exposed to in his complicated life. The one scene where we see him at his rawest is especially powerful and heartwrenching, and it’s important to keep those raw emotions in mind as we witness his actions throughout the movie. It’s such a rich performance, and even more so for its time. It’s hard to believe this was a movie released ten years ago until you rewatch it.
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