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Mean Creek

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zingy College Boy Z Joined: Mon Oct 11, 2004 8:40 pm Posts: 36662	Mean Creek Mean Creek Quote: Mean Creek is a 2004 independent film produced by Susan Johnson, Rick Rosenthal, and Hagai Shaham, written and directed by Jacob Aaron Estes and starring Rory Culkin, Trevor Morgan, Carly Schroeder, Scott Mechlowicz, Ryan Kelley and Josh Peck. The film concerns a group of teenagers and young adults who devise a plan to humiliate an overweight, troubled bully on a boating trip. The movie was filmed mostly in Clackamas County, Oregon, including the cities of Boring, Sandy, and Estacada, though footage on the river was filmed on the Lewis River in southwest Washington. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2004, and was later screened at the Cannes Film Festival that spring. The film was then given a limited release in major cities on August 20, 2004, mostly playing at art house theaters. Last edited by zingy on Mon Jun 06, 2005 8:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Thu Jan 27, 2005 11:09 pm

publicenemy#1 Extraordinary Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 12:25 am Posts: 18877 Location: San Diego	Great movie, though I have to say I wasn't emotionally attached to the characters. VERY impressive performances all around surprisingly, impressive cast. - B+
Thu Jan 27, 2005 11:53 pm

zingy College Boy Z Joined: Mon Oct 11, 2004 8:40 pm Posts: 36662	Great movie. The first half was a lot better than the second half was, though. Up to the climax, it was excellent. The last 40 minutes were good, but nothing great. The acting was excellent. It's a memorable movie, and I'd definently recommend it. B+
Sat Feb 12, 2005 2:52 pm

thompsoncory Rachel McAdams Fan Joined: Sat Oct 23, 2004 11:13 am Posts: 14544 Location: LA / NYC	A teen movie that actually portrays real teens in real situations, in effect not being a teen movie at all, is hard to find. Most don't appeal to mainstream audiences, opening in a limited release and recieving critical raves but little audience. A break in the mold was 2003's controversial THIRTEEN. That film, starring Holly Hunter and Evan Rachel Wood, grossed over $4 million amidst a budget of $1.5 million, garned lots of great praise and even earned an Oscar nomination. But while THIRTEEN portrays a young girl's downfall due to peer pressure, MEAN CREEK, the new film from first-time director Jacob Aaron Estes, tells a tale of several lower-class teens and how sometimes a simple prank can go too far. Estes does a brilliant job with this film, which overcame all of my expectations and turned out to be one of the best of 2004. MEAN CREEK was one of my most anticipated of August. The trailer was fantastic and made the film look great, plus the premise sounded interesting and the cast was decent. Sadly, I missed it in theaters. It even came near me once, but I didn't get a chance to see it during its one-week run. I eagerly anticipated its DVD release and come January 25th it was coming to me via Netflix. That Saturday I watched it and was stunned. What I had expected to be simply a great film turned out to be a masterpiece. Unlike most films with a teen cast, I cared a lot about all of the characters here. They were all not very well off and just trying to get through everyday life. You can tell that in the future they won't amount to much, and this makes you feel for them since now you see them at their most innocent stage. The center of the story is the 12-year old Sam (Rory Culkin, SIGNS), a sweet little boy who becomes the subject of attention for ruthless bully George (Josh Peck, SNOW DAY). As a way of getting revenge on George, Sam enlists the help of his older brother Rocky (Trevor Morgan, THE GLASS HOUSE) and his two friends Marty (Scott Mechlowicz, EUROTRIP) and Clyde (Ryan Kelley, STOLEN SUMMER). The three devise a devious plan to take George on a boating trip pretending it is Sam's birthday before leaving him naked in the river and forcing him to walk home in the nude. The four boys follow through on their plan and along with George and Sam's girlfriend Millie (Carly Schroeder, THE LIZZIE MCGUIRE MOVIE), head out on the trip. But what was once an innocent prank results in nothing they could have ever expected, and the group must decide how to go on and what to do once tragedy strikes. The cast is fantastic. Made up mostly of young actors who haven't been seen in many other films, they all hold their own onscreen and give some of the best performances of the year. Rory Culkin adds a childlike innocence to the character of Sam and does a great job. Ryan Kelley did a great job playing Clyde, and I felt really bad for his character most of the time. He was so likable. He accurately portrayed a teenager who is obviously a very sad individual, but he puts on a happy face because of his fear of rejection. Josh Peck did a good job of being likable at times and then turning into a complete asshole who you couldn't care less about. I've never really liked him since his annoying turns in such family fare as SNOW DAY, but he is a pretty decent actor. Trevor Morgan was great. He played a troubled teen who wanted to do what was best for his younger brother. It was obvious that he really cared about him and wanted what was best for him. He seemed like a great brother and was one of the film's most likable characters. Scott Mechlowicz was great as Marty, an abused teenager who is obviously headed for a bad life. He plays a seemingly tough guy who actually has real emotions, and you can't help but feel bad for him at the film's conclusion. The real scene stealer, however, is young Carly Schroeder. Previously seen in a small role in THE LIZZIE MCGUIRE MOVIE, Schroeder is fantastic as Millie, who is drawn into the plan against her will and tries her best to stop it from happening. After the tragedy strikes, her emotion is powerfully real and it almost makes you feel as if you went through what she was going through. The direction of the film is fantastic as well, especially since it was shot on such a small budget. Jacob Aaron Estes creates a beautiful portrait, with the river sequences being generally quiet and serene and the shots of the water being almost poetic and beautiful. This is definitely one of the best looking films of the year. Another thing that I really liked about this film was that it portrayed teens in a real way, from how they think to how they talk. There's no sugar coating in the language here. These kids say some foul things, but it works because its how kids actually act. It's one of the closest things to reality I've ever seen in a film with teenage actors. Most complain about the film's open ended conclusion, and while I would want to see what happened to the characters, it was a good way to end it in my opinion. It leaves it up to your imagination and this somehow makes it much more powerful. Maybe because we think the worst will happen to these characters we care so much about. It's hard to describe. In closing, MEAN CREEK is a fantastic film. I was amazed at how strong the writing, directing and acting were. It is not to be missed and is without a doubt one of the best films of the year. 10/10 (A+)
Sun Mar 20, 2005 7:14 pm

Magic Mike Wallflower Joined: Mon Oct 25, 2004 4:53 am Posts: 34876 Location: Minnesota	"While Estes' tale is unfolding, very little seems anything but natural, plausible and emotionally scrupulous." -- John Anderson, NEWSDAY "Directed with a naked naturalism in a rural Oregon setting, it's so earnest it hurts." -- Sean Axmaker, SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER "Works as a multiple character study, complemented by some of the best performances you are likely to see this year -- all of them from a cast of actors under the age of 20." -- Joe Baltake, SACRAMENTO BEE "Estes has provided a keenly-honed view of human psychology." -- James Berardinelli, REELVIEWS "Estes has crafted a realistic and rich portrait of the moral dilemmas that adolescents experience." -- Duane Byrge, HOLLYWOOD REPORTER " Intense and sharply insightful, Jacob Estes' feature directorial debut contains a tight script and some exceptional performances from its young cast. " -- Angela Baldassarre, SYMPATICO.CA "Really captures the mix of innocence and experience that adolescence has to offer." -- Liz Braun, JAM! MOVIES "Very much its own picture -- and a damn sight better one than Stand by Me." -- Cliff Doerksen, CHICAGO READER "An excruciatingly tense teen film that's too good for teens." -- Robert W. Butler, KANSAS CITY STAR "I never lived a story anything like this, but I understand the emotional life of this film -- and I'm betting you will, too." -- Robert Denerstein, DENVER ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS "A remarkable feat...the audience not only becomes part of the film, but becomes young again." -- Larry Carroll, IGN FILMFORCE "It could have been simple-minded and predictable, but it becomes a rare film about moral choices, about the difficulty of standing up against pressure from your crowd." -- Roger Ebert, CHICAGO SUN-TIMES "Estes' amazing ensemble cast may turn out to be the 2004 version of Coppola's "The Outsiders," which featured such 'unknowns' as Tom Cruise, Matt Dillon and Diane Lane. " -- Laura Clifford, REELING REVIEWS "A coming-of-age film that finds poetry in the struggle to evolve even while the rest of the world is falling down." -- Walter Chaw, FILM FREAK CENTRAL "An astute examination of youth culture that blows away Hollywood's pathetic attempts to get into the mind of a teen." -- Rich Cline, SHADOWS ON THE WALL ""Mean Creek" is what independent film should be." -- Robin Clifford, REELING REVIEWS "Exceptionally strong performances from the entire cast draw you into the movie's deliberately provocative world." -- Peter Debruge, PREMIERE MAGAZINE "First-time feature director Jacob Aaron Estes breathes life into a routine story with his talent for [emotional] detail." -- Anthony Del Valle, LAS VEGAS MERCURY "A beautifully filmed and frequently stirring drama." -- Phoebe Flowers, SOUTH FLORIDA SUN-SENTINEL "An unusually truthful depiction of the way kids today talk, think and act." -- Melinda Ennis, ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION "While other teen films cling to the sappy and saccharine, first-time writer-director Jacob Aaron Estes' movie has a taut, haunting story that is actually relevant." -- Andrew Green, MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL "[P]ainfully raw... pulls no punches, makes no apologies or excuses..." -- MaryAnn Johanson, FLICK FILOSOPHER "Estes has accomplished quite a bit here. In addition to providing a textbook example of suspense, he also makes us want to know what happens to these kids after the screen goes dark." -- Connie Ogle, MIAMI HERALD "Estes' debut feature's strength lies in its crackling intensity, ultra-sharp character insights and an affinity for teenage protagonists who look and sound like real teens." -- Scott Foundas, VARIETY "Estes dives into this material as if it's never been done before, and his characters and situations are so realistic and the film's tone is so assured that he succeeds at making it feel fresh." -- Eric Harrison, HOUSTON CHRONICLE "That rare movie that manages to be not only an adroit, carefully observed study in character and suspense, but important." -- Ann Hornaday, WASHINGTON POST "I've actually known my fair share of troubled kids, and this film is as accurate a depiction of them as I've ever seen." -- Mike McGranaghan, AISLE SEAT "There isn't a one-note character in the mix, and they respond with haunting, subtle performances that feel utterly natural and unaffected." -- Maitland McDonagh, TV GUIDE'S MOVIE GUIDE "Yet another small gem from the strong Sundance class of 2004, Mean Creek mines credible drama from teenage revenge fantasies." -- Peter Howell, TORONTO STAR "You could call Mean Creek a moral thriller. And the emotional currents the movie wades into are far more tricky than the gentle surface the kids' boat floats along." -- Lisa Kennedy, DENVER POST "Not only the chemistry among the kids but also the tensions and complexities in their relationships feel extraordinarily real." -- Jean Oppenheimer, DALLAS OBSERVER "For a debut, itÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s downright startling." -- Jon Popick, PLANET SICK-BOY "One of the most subtle, evocative explorations of childhood and adolescent relationships since Stand By Me." -- Mary F. Pols, CONTRA COSTA TIMES "Raw and in your face, Mean Creek eventually ripples emotions all the way to the soul. " -- Larry Ratliff, SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS "A frightening journey into the heart of human darkness and morality. Sure to endure as a watermark of the coming-of-age genre for years to come." -- Dustin Putman, THEMOVIEBOY.COM "Touches us on a personal level." -- Steve Rhodes, STEVE RHODES' INTERNET REVIEWS "Estes and his cinematographer, Sharone Meir, present a vision of paradise and innocence lost in this beautifully understated drama." -- Lou Lumenick, NEW YORK POST "For a first time director to provoke such impressive performances from a young cast is a good sign." -- Brad Slager, FILM THREAT "A smartly written film that refuses to fall into the traps of the teenage stereotype." -- Mark Sells, OREGON HERALD "If this smart, psychologically suspenseful film is any indication, Jacob Estes is a new voice worth listening to." -- Eric D. Snider, ERICDSNIDER.COM "We've seen much of what goes down in Mean Creek before. But I can't say I've ever seen it portrayed with such high standards of responsibility to the way kids really act, think and judge." -- Bob Strauss, LOS ANGELES DAILY NEWS "A thoughtful, unpretentious coming-of-age drama with uncommon emotional heft and an engaging young cast." -- Janice Page, BOSTON GLOBE "Estes has an uncanny knack for creating character, and for finding the kind of throwaway detail that resonates." -- Moira Sullivan, SEATTLE TIMES "There are all sorts of other themes at work below the surface, including examinations of teenage peer pressure and moral responsibility." -- Jeff Strickler, MINNEAPOLIS STAR TRIBUNE "Estes' dark sunlit tale cuts like a knife." -- Steven Rea, PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER MEAN CREEK (2004) With an amazingly talented young cast, Writer/Director Jacob Aaron Estes has created one emotionally honest and brutally real portrait of a group of teens caught in a situation where they're forced to make some serious decisions that will test their friendships, their morals, and forever change their lives. "Mean Creek" is the story of Sam (Rory Culkin), a young teen who is one of the many kids to get picked on daily by the school bully, George (Josh Peck). The movie opens with Sam getting beat up by George. We then see Sam at home talking to his older brother Rocky (Trevor Morgan). Tired of seeing his brother, as well as others, get picked on by George and him getting away with it, Rocky suggests they play a prank on him to teach him a lesson. Sam is into the idea as long as it's not something too harmful. So Rocky talks to his friends Clyde (Ryan Kelley), who was also a victim of George's bullying in elementary school and was smacked in the face with a baseball bat by him for no real reason, and Marty (Scott Mechlowicz) about it. Not being able to stand George either, Clyde and Marty are immediately hip to the idea of getting him back for all he's done. So they come up with a plan to invite him on a boating trip on the river, planning on humiliating him by playing truth or dare and getting him to strip naked and jump in the river, then they'll leave him there and make him run home. Also along for the ride is Sam's budding girlfriend Millie (Carly Schroeder); who isn't immediately aware of the hidden agenda but finds it strange that they invited their tormentor along to hang out with them. What none of them expected though was that George would end up being not so bad. Despite him still saying some cruel and hurtful things, they find themselves taking somewhat of a liking to him and unable to go through with the plan. However, an unexpected turn of events forces them to have to make life-changing decisions that could forever ruin their lives. One thing's for sure; none of them will ever be the same again. It's not easy writing a review for such an astounding and complex film as Mean Creek. There's so much lying beneath the surface of it and so much that I want to say about it that it seems nearly impossible to do it justice. It's a very human film and it works on so many different levels. How in the world can I find a way to say everything I want to say? It's not going to be an easy task, but all I know is that I can't stop thinking about it and I'm going to try my best to write as good of a review for this remarkable film as I can. I don't think it would be possible for this film to feel more authentic than it does. The characters feel like real teens and act like real teens. They don't feel like one-note stock characters. We get to know enough about all of them so that they all have their own individual personality. It feels as if every one of them is given around the same amount of attention and each one even gets to have their own moment during the film where they are the main focus. There are so many nice little touches sprinkled throughout that play a big part in making these characters feel so real to us. We get to know them and really care about most of them. I even loved a couple of them and hated to have to say goodbye to them when the movie was over. I found myself not wanting it to end. I found the relationship between Sam and Rocky really touching. It made me depressed that I couldn't have a great older brother like that and am unable to know what it's like to share such a loving and caring bond with a brother. I feel like I'm missing out on something great. I loved their relationship. They were almost more like friends than brothers, except they had an extra special connection that you couldn't have with just a really good friend. I loved the closeness they shared and instead of finding it gross when Sam takes the gum he's already been chewing on out of his mouth and splits it with Rocky, I found it really nice that they were just that close; so close that something like that didn't even matter. They seemed like they really were brothers. Seeing how close they are gives a scene later on in the movie where Rocky tells Sam that he can trust him and Sam replies, "But I don't trust you" a real impact. It stung and was pretty heartbreaking. I really felt for Rocky and wanted badly for his brother to hug him and be there for him during this time. If I were in Sam's shoes I really don't think I could just turn my back on him like that. He messed up, but did it because he cared about Sam so much and was trying to do the right thing. I could understand being somewhat mad, but not mad enough to completely shut him out. They were so close before and now their relationship has changed for the worse just like that. Actor Trevor Morgan said on the audio commentary on the DVD for the film that he hates this scene because he hates his acting in it. But I couldn't disagree more. Everyone else on the commentary thought he was great in it and I found his acting here to be great as well. It was so natural and the hurt look on his face when Sam says those hurtful words to him was perfect. He has absolutely nothing to regret about that scene. I love the scene at the dam during the first part of the movie where Rocky, Marty, and Clyde are sitting in the car. The part I love the most in this scene is at the end of it when Clyde gets out of the car and then Rocky goes out after him. There was just something really wonderful about this scene. It was a mix of the great location, the excellent song "Our Love Is Beautiful" by Ethan Gold playing, and the affectionate friendship between Rocky and Clyde that is shown mostly through the facial expressions and the body movements. And right after this scene is another great one that takes place in Rocky and Sam's room where Rocky calls George to invite him on the fishing trip. That's not what I love about it though. What I love is the stuff after he gets off the phone where Marty and Clyde are goofing around with Sam and everyone is laughing and having fun. It's just such a nice scene where you get to see the closeness of these boys; all while the excellent song "Mental" by the Eels is playing. It was touching. Mean Creek has the best ensemble cast of 2004. I'm not the only one who feels this way, which is why it was given a Special Distinction Award from the Independent Spirit Awards recognizing the ensemble cast. All of the young actors were perfect and gave performances that couldn't have felt more natural. I loved Trevor Morgan as Rocky and Ryan Kelley as Clyde. I really loved and cared about both of these characters. Rocky was such a nice brother and cool guy and Clyde couldn't have been nicer. I'd love to have friends like them. I really felt bad for Clyde whenever he would get picked on because he was always pretty quiet and didn't pick on others. He was just so sweet and nice to everyone, even George. He never usually stuck up for himself and just sat back and took the verbal abuse. Ryan Kelley was so terrific in this part. In the audio commentary it is mentioned that during the scene where George is rapping in the boat that the rap was improvised by Josh Peck (as George) and was made up as he went along so nobody knew what he was going to say. So as he's saying mostly nice things to everyone and then comes to Clyde, actor Ryan Kelley had no idea he was going to say, "Clyde is a fag," which is why the look on his face of shock and hurt is so priceless and dead-on. I thought it was absolutely perfect and it really makes you feel for Clyde. The niceness of the characters Rocky and Clyde made them really cute and adorable. Marty seems like he'd be the most obvious choice for the most attractive yet the personalities of Rocky and Clyde had me finding them much more attractive. I didn't hate Marty, but I can't say I really liked him a lot either. Some of the bad choices he makes made me think he was destined to end up like his older brother, just drinking and causing trouble around this small town forever and never really doing anything with his life. And I thought this just during the first half. By the second half I had lost even more hope for him, and then the last time we see the character I had no hope whatsoever for him. Scott Mechlowicz did give a great performance though. And while I had seen him act in Eurotrip, another 2004 movie, it was like I was seeing him act for the first time here. Who knew he had it in him? Josh Peck was solid as George and did a great job of making you hate him one minute and find him not so bad the next. Sometimes he was a real jerk and other times you'd see him in a different light. Whenever he was being somewhat nice he'd usually find some way to ruin it by being mean again. Overall though, I didn't like him. And his flipping out on the boat at everyone was pretty uncalled for. SPOILERS I mean could he really blame people for not liking him and wanting to get back at him? He should have just been happy that they ended up liking him and decided to call off the plan once they got to know him. But instead he went to the extreme and hit everyone where it hurt. I especially felt bad for Clyde, as he had done pretty much nothing mean to him the whole day even after George insulted him so much. END SPOILERS But despite playing a mostly unlikable character, Josh Peck did do a good job and it was interesting seeing a bully in a movie with more than one side to him. The entire cast was incredible and give some of the best performances of 2004 you'll see. However my personal favorites were easily Trevor Morgan and Ryan Kelley. I hope to see much more of them in the future. I love their characters. I'm not sure how I felt about the character of Sam though. I liked him for most of the movie but then I began to like him less later on starting with what he said to Rocky in the bedroom. At first I also didn't like SPOILERS when he said into the camera close to the end about his brother, "I've never seen him more out of control in my life." I was shocked and disappointed that he would say something like that. I thought it sounded negative, like it was his brother's fault and his saying that would only get him into more trouble. Most people seem to take what he said in a negative way, including me at first. However after talking to someone else they explained that his saying this was actually a good thing and not negative. He meant that there was nothing his brother could have done to prevent what happened. And that makes complete sense. Phew! I'm glad it wasn't meant in a way that would make his brother only sound worse. It would have been really sad if it was meant the way I originally took it. I don't think Rocky would have deserved that at all. Sure it was his idea to get back at George but it was to protect Sam and Sam had no problem going along with it. If he would have said he didn't want to then I don't think Rocky would have went ahead with it. Besides, when Sam decided to call the plan off Rocky did. What ends up happening was an accident none of them could have seen coming and I would have been really disappointed if Sam had placed all of the blame on Rocky. Still, it was difficult watching this once close relationship being torn apart by this incident. END SPOILERS On a small budget of only $500,000, Mean Creek still ends up being the best looking film of the year. I loved the scenery and I loved the colors of many scenes and how they changed depending on the mood of the scene. The movie looks absolutely amazing. Not one to usually find myself admiring score music, I have to say that it really stood out here and couldn't have been more perfect. This deserved to get some Oscar recognition for Best Score at the very least. I haven't heard more perfect score music all year - in fact, this is some of the best score music I've ever heard and has to be some of the best ever recorded. Flawless and breathtaking! Tomandandy were the composers and they did a terrific job. I loved all of the music in the movie, be it score music or the various artists heard during it. I ended up having to order the soundtrack because I couldn't get such songs as "Our Love Is Beautiful" by Ethan Gold and "Sound And Light," "Hope Springs Eternal," and "Butterfly Collector" by John Gold out of my head and just had to own a collection of the music from the film. Jacob Aaron Estes is definitely a talent to watch, as is everyone involved in this film. Mean Creek is fantastic and I can't wait to see what other films Estes will bring us. You'd never be able to tell that this was his feature film debut as it seems like something only someone with years of experience could have made. Everything is done so perfectly and the cast has such great chemistry. It's really impressive the performances he was able to get out of them. I also found myself in love with the way some of the scenes in the film have nobody talking but so much is being said by the expressions of the characters. You wouldn't believe how well this works. You just know what each character is thinking and feeling during these parts without them saying a word. It's breathtaking and astounding, I was in absolute awe. He made it work probably better than I've ever seen it and did so in such a fascinating way, making the idea of it all seem so fresh and new, like it has never been accomplished before. This is an incredible first feature that will be hard for him to top. The only little flaw the film has is the ending, which I find myself mixed on. SPOILERS I don't hate it and it does go with the tone of the film, but since I cared about the characters so much and didn't want their punishment to be incredibly severe I hated not knowing their fate. Obviously they would get more than a slap on the wrist but what happened was basically an accident and I'd hate for it to ruin their lives. Well, it already would in a way because it would haunt them forever, but I didn't want them to go to jail for it. I think they'd be punishing themselves enough for it and would never be able to forgive themselves for what happened. Sam and Millie would likely be punished the least and doubtfully would be tried as adults and put in jail. Marty will be going to jail for sure though after robbing the gas station, that is if he doesn't end up killing himself first. And I really didn't mind so much that he'd be put in jail after he made some really poor decisions, with the last one when he robbed the place being one of the stupidest things he could have done after what had already happened. It put the final nail in the coffin for him and you automatically know he's doomed no matter what. He'd either choose death or get caught and wind up in jail. But the two that would be considered adults and could get in the most trouble (besides Marty) are Rocky and Clyde. I wasn't worried about the rest because other than the already doomed Marty, the two younger ones would get off the easiest. I'd hate for Rocky and Clyde to go to jail though. Clyde couldn't be more harmless and wasn't a threat to anyone. I think he only went along because he didn't want to be left out and didn't think anything would actually happen. I doubt he thought they'd go through with the plan. I know if I had friends that were planning on doing this I wouldn't think they would seriously end up going through with it and would go along because I wanted to be included. And it's obvious none of them, aside from maybe Marty, are a threat to society and wouldn't likely harm anyone again, at least not on purpose. They'd be punishing themselves more than jail would. I really cared about what would happen to them and I kind of hate not knowing. Yet showing what would happen with all of them would have taken away from the rest of the movie. It just wouldn't have had quite the same impact. So I'm mixed on the ending. I do think saying what was going to happen to them in writing on the screen would have worked though. I can handle open-ended movies but sometimes, like in the case of this one, I just need some closure. END SPOILERS Often compared to the classic Stand By Me, which is great in its own right and definitely similar, I found Mean Creek to be far superior. Aside from the ending, which I found a little disappointing because I wanted closure, everything else about the movie is flawless. It's the best film of 2004 and the only one I've awarded a perfect rating to. And like with most movies I end up giving a perfect rating (which isn't many), I didn't give it one upon first viewing. The first time I gave it a 9/10 (A-). Then I saw it again the next night and raised it to a 9/10 (A). And finally after the third viewing, which I watched with the audio commentary on, I ended up giving it a perfect rating. I didn't expect to, but this is one amazing, effective, and highly thought-provoking film that will stay with you for days. There are so many things it leaves you to think about and will make you feel so many emotions. It's an unforgettable and haunting experience that isn't easy to shake. I couldn't recommend it more. It deserves to be seen. Grade: 10/10 (A+)** *Note(s): During the audio commentary on the DVD several deleted scenes are mentioned. Yet the only things to be found on the DVD for special features are the audio commentary, storyboards, and trailers for other Paramount Classics films. This is really disappointing. All I can do is hope they get this little gem a Special Edition someday packed with a nice amount of special features (including the couple that were already released on this version), most notably the deleted scenes. I am very happy though that it had an audio commentary, especially since it included Trevor Morgan and Ryan Kelley.
Wed Mar 30, 2005 5:50 pm

xXVincentxX La Bella Vito Joined: Fri Oct 15, 2004 11:56 pm Posts: 9146	Absolutely amazing film! I was so blown away by how good this movie was. All of the characters are great, and I thought Carly Schroeder was incredible in her role. The only complaint that I had with this film is that it seems way too short, and the ending leaves you unsatisfied, because nothing is really resolved. I've never seen such young actors portray their characters so convincingly. Literally, every acter here is great in their role. Mean Creek is hands down one of the most real and raw drama's of the year, and I enjoyed it very much. I just wish Hollywood would take notes, and make more films like this. A
Fri Jun 03, 2005 2:43 am

tombraider17 Mr. and Mrs. Smith Joined: Thu Oct 21, 2004 7:21 pm Posts: 457	An interesting premise is what drew me to Mean Creek, but what really makes it stand out the most is the strong performances from the cast. I think this movie proves that young people can definitely act just as good as older actors. Anyways, the movie was shocking and just plain good. Josh Peck's performance is magnificent. A- _________________ The Skeleton Key: Best Horror Thriller of the Year
Mon Jun 06, 2005 1:52 pm

matatonio Teh Mexican Joined: Fri Oct 15, 2004 11:56 pm Posts: 26066 Location: In good ol' Mexico	i FINALLY saw this movie, and it was incredible, those kids gave great performances The dialogue is great! everything about it was great!! this one blew me away!! A+
Sat Jun 18, 2005 1:40 pm

movies35 Forum General Joined: Thu Nov 11, 2004 1:53 pm Posts: 8626 Location: Syracuse, NY	Not bad but very overrated. 7/10 (B-) _________________ Top 10 Films of 2016 1. La La Land 2. Other People 3. Nocturnal Animals 4. Swiss Army Man 5. Manchester by the Sea 6. The Edge of Seventeen 7. Sing Street 8. Indignation 9. The Lobster 10. Hell or High Water
Sat Jun 18, 2005 2:14 pm

andaroo1 Lord of filth Joined: Mon Oct 11, 2004 9:47 pm Posts: 9566	The silence in the second half is heartbreaking.
Sun Jun 19, 2005 2:41 am

zennier htm Joined: Sun Oct 23, 2005 2:38 pm Posts: 10316 Location: berkeley	Unforgettable and terrifying.
Sat Mar 04, 2006 10:22 pm

nghtvsn Extraordinary Joined: Fri Mar 11, 2005 7:13 pm Posts: 11015 Location: Warren Theatre Oklahoma	I rented this a while back using blockbuster's online service The movie was great and it really is Unforgettable. You are just imprinted with scenes from the film that you don't forget all against the backdrop of a "revenge" type film. The acting, emotions and plot were excellent. The dude from Eurotrip kept reminding me of a young Brad Pitt in this role as well. B+ _________________ 2009 World of KJ Fantasy Football World Champion Team MVP : Peyton Manning : Record 11-5 : Points 2669.00 [b]FREE KORRGAN 45TH PRESIDENT OF THE U.S.A. DONALD J. TRUMP #MAGA #KAG! 10,000 post achieved on - Posted: Wed May 16, 2018 7:49 pm
Sun Mar 12, 2006 7:19 pm

Dr. Lecter You must have big rats Joined: Sat Oct 16, 2004 4:28 pm Posts: 92093 Location: Bonn, Germany	A I knew little about this and rented it a while ag based only on some comments I read online. It surprised me BIG TIME. It's such a well-made small film that feels painfully realistic and manages to really leave an impact on the viewer. Like andaroo has said, some of the scenes in the second half and the silence is devastating. I really realy felt for all the characters. The acting was splendid and the movie never gets overly emotional or dramatic. It all is...just there. And exactly that is what leaves the huge emotional impact and evokes resonance on the viewer's side. One of the most crimincally underrated and underseen dramas of the decade. ___________________________________________________ Since you are on a moviewatching trip lately, Shack, you definitely need to see this one! _________________ The greatest thing on earth is to love and to be loved in return!
Fri Sep 14, 2007 5:45 pm

android Cream of the Crop Joined: Sun Aug 28, 2005 7:44 am Posts: 2913 Location: Portugal	Re: Mean Creek Just rewatched it this night after buying the dvd at a cheap cost (less than 4 euros). The first time I saw it was almost 3 years ago, and I enjoyed it very much though I never saw it again. I'm glad to report it's still as powerful as I remember. Love the fact that these teens/pre-teens are very... human. Not just some cheap ploy to make the audience weep ala some teen soap opera. Love the fatality of the whole situation, and what's in those last 30 minutes. The taking responsabilities as a part of growing up and the mistakes we made that haunts us for life. And I easely related to this... this is something that could easely happen - to any of us, or someone we met, which makes it even more tragic. Strong debut from Jacob Aaron Estes. I'd even dare to say this is the directorial debut of the decade so far (aside from Mitchell's Hedwig and the Angry Inch). _________________
Wed Feb 27, 2008 8:15 pm

Magic Mike Wallflower Joined: Mon Oct 25, 2004 4:53 am Posts: 34876 Location: Minnesota	Re: Mean Creek android wrote: Strong debut from Jacob Aaron Estes. I'd even dare to say this is the directorial debut of the decade so far I would agree with that actually. This film is amazing.
Fri Feb 29, 2008 1:38 am
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Mean Creek

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