This week’s movie is Mean Creek (2004).
The drama is about a bunch of
teens that decide to get even with a local bully, inviting him along on a boat
trip in rural Oregon with a plan of vengeance. The film is the feature debut
from writer-director Jacob Aaron
Estes (someone I thought had a very bright future when this came out, but
has yet to have another film picked up). He worked with composer tomandandy, cinematographer Sharone Meir and production designer
Greg McMickle. The film has a
very naturalistic approach, which works really well with the subject matter and
impact of the drama. The young actor are also wonderful. It features Rory Culkin, Ryan Kelley, Scott Mechlowicz, Trevor Morgan, Josh Peck, and Carly Schroeder. Thematically,
it is similar to Larry Clark’s
Bully and Gus Van Sant’s Elephant, but not as graphic.
Mean Creek is all the more tragic as it does not start out as a mean spirited
film or with the intention of going dark – but things just do not go the way
they are planned for the characters taking them down a dark path. It
beautifully portrays realistic teenage characters – naïve, innocent and yet
still with the capability of immense cruelty. While there is a clear bully
character that the rest of the characters want to get back at, things are never
that simple, as delving deeper into the characters and narrative reveals that
many of the characters are both bully and victim depending on the
circumstances. The film is quite powerful as it addresses morals, coping with
tragedy and other adult issues forced on teens (many of them very young). It is
one of the best truly indie dramas of the past decade. It is well worth checking
out for fans of good dramas. Check out the trailer.
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