Mystic River (Spoilers)

[Ephemera]

I just finished watching this movie (the credits are still rolling as I type, actually) and thoroughly enjoyed it. I’d easily give it four stars and, if I weren’t trying to watch the movies as fast as I could to get the most I can in at a time, I’d probably watch it a couple more times before mailing it back to Netflix.

I have a question about the final scene though. It’s pretty obvious there’s some symbolism and/or subtext going on that I, as a rather passive consumer, just am not getting.

The biggest question I have is about the alienation that Collette, the widower of Dave, is obviously now suffering. It’s apparent from her expression and from her staring at everyone that she feels alone when before, she seemed to be held in pretty good regard. It’s further punctuated by her plaintive calls to her kid as he rides on a float in the parade and he looks at her apathetically.

I’m not getting it. Why the sudden loneliness?

Also, what was with the substory of Sean, his estranged wife, and their kid? It seemed to serve no purpose but, at the end, there they are, all together and happy as if to make some point or statement that I must be too dense to get.

Then there is the ending shot of Sean making the finger gun, pointing at Jimmy, and firing to which Jimmy makes a “who me?” or “you got me” gesture which would seem to imply that they both know what happened and are going to just keep it between themselves but that was already established in the previous scene. Why repeat it here? Or did it mean something else and I’m just not following?

And, finally, an unrelated question: When Brendan finds that his father’s gun isn’t in its hiding spot, he automatically knows it was Ray that got it and, apparently, knew he was ultimately responsible for Katie’s death but when he was questioning him about it, kept demanding that he speak despite him being a mute. What was the logic behind that? Could he speak? Or was he just irrational at the betrayal?

I’m sorry for all the questions but it’s 5:00am here and I guess I’m just not operating at peak performance here. I loved the movie but these questions are nagging at me and once I understand them, will probably love it even more.

Thanks in advance for any replies.

[Ephemera]

Bumping to see if my questions might get answered on a busier weekday.

[Alessan]

@Aesiron

The biggest question I have is about the alienation that Collette, the widower of Dave, is obviously now suffering. It’s apparent from her expression and from her staring at everyone that she feels alone when before, she seemed to be held in pretty good regard. It’s further punctuated by her plaintive calls to her kid as he rides on a float in the parade and he looks at her apathetically.

I’m not getting it. Why the sudden loneliness?

Because she ratted out her man, which to these people was worse than killing him. As Laura Linney said, “What kind of woman would do that to her own husband?”

@Aesiron

Also, what was with the substory of Sean, his estranged wife, and their kid? It seemed to serve no purpose but, at the end, there they are, all together and happy as if to make some point or statement that I must be too dense to get.

The whole movie was about the importance of family and about Sean’s return to the neighbourhood. He went back to his roots and won back his wife and kids.

@Aesiron

Then there is the ending shot of Sean making the finger gun, pointing at Jimmy, and firing to which Jimmy makes a “who me?” or “you got me” gesture which would seem to imply that they both know what happened and are going to just keep it between themselves but that was already established in the previous scene. Why repeat it here? Or did it mean something else and I’m just not following?

I suppose it meant, “We’re cool - but I haven’t forgotten anything.” Look at it this way: there had to be some kind of communication between the characters at the parade. Why not this?

[kka]

I saw the movie when it first came out, but I remember thinking it would have been much better if they ended it about 10-15 minutes earlier.

[Iorek_Byrnison]

@Aesiron

Then there is the ending shot of Sean making the finger gun, pointing at Jimmy, and firing to which Jimmy makes a “who me?” or “you got me” gesture which would seem to imply that they both know what happened and are going to just keep it between themselves but that was already established in the previous scene. Why repeat it here? Or did it mean something else and I’m just not following?

Maybe I didn’t read the two scenes you’re talking about as they were intended, but I came away with a different perspective.

Sean knows what Jimmy did. He also knows that he probably won’t be able to nail him for it. The “finger gun” was a “I’m watching you, and I’ll know when you finally slip up.” I saw Jimmy’s reaction the same way you did, though, a sort of sly “Who? Me?” Jimmy knows he’s the power in the neighborhood.

[Ephemera]

@Alessan

Because she ratted out her man, which to these people was worse than killing him. As Laura Linney said, "What kind of woman would do that to her own husband?

And that doesn’t make any sense. In the beginning of the movie, when Sean and Whitey are interviewing Jimmy and his wife to try to get some leads, she reveals that Collette is her cousin or some other sort of relative so Katie was family. Why wouldn’t she tell Jimmy about it?

That she suspected him so soon is kind of odd but that she eventually told him her concerns makes sense to me… if I suspected a friend of mine (I’m not married) killing someone in my family, even if it was by marriage, I’d be telling the cops, the parents of the murdered family member, and everyone else I thought that might need to know.

@Alessan

The whole movie was about the importance of family and about Sean’s return to the neighbourhood. He went back to his roots and won back his wife and kids.

I suppose. It still felt tacked on and superfluous though. We don’t know anything about why she left, about their kid, or the circumstances involving anything but her return which was brought about him saying “I’m sorry… it was my fault”. Why didn’t he try that a year ago?

@kka

I saw the movie when it first came out, but I remember thinking it would have been much better if they ended it about 10-15 minutes earlier.

Yeah. It would have ended much better if it had just faded to black while Jimmy was stumbling down the street while drinking.

@Iorek Byrnison

Sean knows what Jimmy did. He also knows that he probably won’t be able to nail him for it. The “finger gun” was a “I’m watching you, and I’ll know when you finally slip up.” I saw Jimmy’s reaction the same way you did, though, a sort of sly “Who? Me?” Jimmy knows he’s the power in the neighborhood.

Aha. That makes a lot more sense. Sean said that he would have arrested Dave in an instant if he actually proved to be guilty so it seemed odd that he was giving Jimmy a pass. This fits in perfectly with what we know of their characters though… thanks.

Anyone have any ideas on Ray Jr. and Brendan?

[jovan]

@Aesiron

And, finally, an unrelated question: When Brendan finds that his father’s gun isn’t in its hiding spot, he automatically knows it was Ray that got it and, apparently, knew he was ultimately responsible for Katie’s death but when he was questioning him about it, kept demanding that he speak despite him being a mute. What was the logic behind that? Could he speak? Or was he just irrational at the betrayal?

I think you missed a line in there. Brendan explicitely says: “I know you can speak.” He knows that his brother’s block is pyschological. It’s like he’s saying: “quit hiding behind that wall.” The “wall” being his muteness.