"Mean Creek"
Sam (Rory Culkin) is beaten by the school bully,
oversized George (Joshua Peck), for the minor
infraction of touching his expensive video camera. Sam
tells his older brother, Rocky (Trevor Morgan), of the
incident, showing the damage George inflicted, and
they brew up a plan to get revenge. But, what starts
off as an innocent prank to humiliate the tormenter
spirals out of control in "Mean Creek."
First-time writer/director, Jacob Aaron Estes, has
knocked one out of the park with his deftly
constructed morality tale that represents one of the
best portraits of a generation on the verge of
adulthood.
George's sudden, violent attack on Sam seems to be
endemic in the behavior of a real bully. When the
younger boy turns to Rocky for help, they decide that
the only recourse is to humiliate Sam's nemesis. The
brothers tell of their decision to Rocky's pals, Clyde
and Marty (Ryan Kelley and Scott Mechlowicz), and they
hatch a plan – pretend it's Sam's birthday and invite
George to join them on a celebratory boat trip, then
make him strip and jump into the icy river naked. The
subterfuge works and George agrees to join them on the
journey.
The next morning, the four boys and Sam's unwitting
friend, Millie (Carly Schroeder), pick George up and
they head to the river. But, George confuses matters
by giving Sam a very expensive super blaster water gun
as a gift. The unexpected kindness baffles Sam who
begins to have second thoughts, especially after he
tells Millie. She is adamantly against the planned
humiliation and Sam convinces Rocky that it is not
right. But, Clyde, who George attacked with a baseball
bat when they were kids, and Marty, who has a grudge
against the well-off bully, think they should see it
through to the end.
Writer Estes has crafted a story that is a believable
journey down the river, a trip that is both
enlightenment and tragedy. On the surface, it looks
like Sam is right. George is an evil bully who must
get his due for his harmful deeds. As the journey
commences and he learns about George – he is a lonely,
only child who has trouble making friends because of
his sometimes sociopath behavior – Sam realizes that
things are not what they seem and that George has real
problems that cause him to act the way he does. As the
journey continues both the kids' attitudes and yours
change toward George.
"Mean Creek" is an accomplished work by the tyro
helmer/scribe that combines a solid story, realistic
dialog, deft direction and an incredible ensemble cast
that make this one of the best films of the year. The
young cast pivots on Rory Culkin's Sam, but the rest
give it their all and there is not an underdeveloped
character in the lot. 15-year old Culkin continues to
impress with the talents he displayed in such films as
"Igby Goes Down" (as young Igby) and "Signs." He is
the catalyst for "Mean Creek" and handles himself like
a veteran.
The rest of the little-known and unknown cast is
populated by a talented bunch of young actors. The
best find of all is Joshua Peck playing George. His
TV roots in such fare as "The Amanda Show" belies the
complexity and depth he lends to his bully character.
As the story unfolds, the layers of George's heart and
mind peel away and our earlier opinions about him
change dramatically due to the young actor's riveting
performance. The rest of the principle ensemble copes
well with the material, too.
Scott Mechlowicz, seen earlier this year in "Euro
Trip," smolders as the tough, abused Marty, repping a
character who won't change his mind once set, despite
valid reasons to do so. Ryan Kelley, from TV's
"Smallville," gives depth to his troubled character
struggling with unconventional parents – this makes
sense when you find out why. Trevor Morgan plays the
brotherly role of Rocky quite well and comes across as
a protective older sibling to Sam. Carly Schroeder, as
the sole girl on the team, holds her own with her all
male costars. Even incidental players, like Marty's
brother, Kile (Branden Williams), and his prankster
sidekick, Jasper (Heath Lourwood), give dimension to
their small roles.
Helmer Estes is aided in his effort creating "Mean
Creek" by a capable behind-the-camera team. Director
of photography, Israeli-born Sharone Meir, gives a
fluid look to the film with his ever-moving camera and
expert shot composition. Location, too, shows its
importance as the river takes on character proportions
as well. All other techs are notably handled.
"Mean Creek" is what independent film should be. There
are no frills here, just solidly crafted filmmaking
and good ensemble acting that that makes being a film
critic worth it. I give it an A-.
For more Reeling reviews visit ww.reelingreviews.com
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