Susan Granger’s review of “Mean Creek” (Paramount Classics)
Developed and nurtured at the Eugene O’Neill Writers Conference in Connecticut, this coming-of-age allegory marks the emergence of a talented writer/director, Jacob Aaron Estes. Set in a small town in Oregon, the story revolves around a shy, sensitive kid, Sammy (Rory Culkin) whose life is forever changed when he’s faced with a terrible moral dilemma. Perennially persecuted by obnoxious George (Joshua Peck), Sammy, his older brother and friends decide to pay the bully back by taking him on a rafting trip where he’ll be stripped, stranded mid-river and forced to run home naked. “We need to hurt him without really hurting him,” they agree, acknowledging “that fat freak deserves everything he has coming to him.” But then confusion and chaos reign when a tragic accident occurs. Think “Lord of the Rings.” Think “Deliverance.” Jacob Aaron Estes crafts an insightful, character-driven tale and deftly directs his youthful cast, headed by Rory Culkin, who exudes sweet, adolescent vulnerability. His cohorts include Rocky (Trevor Morgan), his savvy, protective older brother; conflicted, meek-mannered Clyde, another victim of George’s teasing; misguided, macho Marty (Scott Mechlowicz), whose father recently committed suicide; and common-sense Millie (Carly Schroeder), on whom Sammy has a crush. Each character is carefully delineated and explored through his/her reactions to the dire predicament in which they inadvertently find themselves. And cinematographer Sharone Meir visually juxtaposes the bucolic, Mark Twain-like setting with the inherent savagery of the plot. On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, “Mean Creek” is a poignant, suspenseful 7. It’s a thought-provoking journey of reprisal, retribution and responsibility.
