MYSTIC RIVER OPENS WITH THREE 11-YEAR-OLDS (CAMERON
BOWEN, JASON KELLY, CONNOR PAOLO) HAVING A FRIENDLY GAME OF STREET HOCKEY ON A LAZY SUNDAY AFTERNOON IN CHELSEA, MASS.
WHEN THEY LOSE THEIR BALL DOWN A DRAIN, THEY DECIDE TO SCRATCH THEIR NAMES ON A PATCH OF WET CEMENT IN THE SIDEWALK.
AT THIS POINT, THEY ARE APPROACHED BY TWO ADULTS MASQUERADING AS PLAIN CLOTHES POLICE OFFICERS.
ON A PRETEXT OF TAKING HIM HOME TO HIS MOTHER, THE IMPOSTERS PUT BOWEN IN THEIR VEHICLE. INSTEAD, HE IS ABDUCTED,
HELD PRISONER FOR FOUR DAYS AND SEXUALLY ABUSED, AN EVENT THAT SCARS THE LIVES OF ALL THREE BOYS.
CONNOR AND HIS COMPANIONS ARE ONLY ON SCREEN FOR THE FIRST FEW MINUTES, BUT THEIR SCENES SET
THE STAGE FOR THE ACTION THAT FOLLOWS AND DEFINE THE CHARACTERS OF THEIR ADULT COUNTERPARTS: TIM ROBBINS (CAMERON), SEAN PENN
(JASON) AND KEVIN BACON (CONNOR). THE FILM COMES TO A POWERFUL, TRAGIC CONCLUSION AND RESULTED IN OSCARS FOR PENN AND
ROBBINS.
