Mean Creek (2004)

No the secret isn't in anyone's pants, how misleading...

Genre: Adventure Crime Drama Thriller

Starring: Rory Culkin (Signs; The Night Listener), Ryan Kelley

Directed By: Jacob Aaron Estes
Overview: A group of kids take a school bully on a birthday boating trip, planning on exacting vengeance, giving him is comeuppance.

Acting: The acting by all the crew was great. Every role was masterful, and the reactions throughout are honest and realistic. Dramatic as hell.
Rating: 8

Cinematography: The bully's camcorder shots, and the shimmering sun off the river contrasted with the dark country bar scenes. All artistic and professional. That camcorder has a great way of setting the mood.
Rating: 8

Script: This thing is brilliantly written. Just shy of perfection, this script is what I remember saying in childhood, and that bully gives us laughable and pitiful all at the same time. It's a hard thing to pull off, but they do it. Throughout the entire film I was impressed by the words and the human nature unfolding. Seriously well written.
Rating: 9

Plot: It was interesting how little a part the parents played in this. That was a bonus. The flow of this starts off amazing and keeps getting better. The route the movie takes in it's twists and turns is original without being illogical. I, myself, wish they had taken a different turn in one of the plot twists, but it was by no means a bad one. This plot is intensely dramatic and even a hint of thriller. Great stuff.
Rating: 8

Mood: There are a couple of scenes, like the introductions of each character, and the climactic scenes, that just blew me away. The characters in this are what sets the mood. Unfortunately, I still felt here and there that the mood could have been a bit less subtle. It was going so well, I expected miracles I guess. Still great stuff.
Rating: 7

"Hey tubs? Notice how it's us four on this side of the boat and you on that side?"
"Ha, he's fat! It's funny"

Overall Rating: 80% (One Mean Movie)

Aftertaste: I'll always remember this as being a great movie, though I must say there was a hint of a bitter aftertaste. It was so perfect that I expected perfection throughout, and i was sad when it wasn't delivered. I'd recommend this to anyone, yes, but it left me wishing for the potential that I knew was possible.