Mean Creek

Usually, when a filmmaker tackles a story about a group of young people getting into trouble, the agenda of the film has all the subtlety of a neon billboard. Case in point: The River’s Edge, the 1986 cult favorite about a group of high-school-age teens who respond to the murder of one of their friends mostly with indifference. Great movie, but the filmmakers had a statement to make and they really hammered it.

Mean Creek also deals with ethical issues and a handful of kids, younger than the River’s Edge crowd. This time, though, there are no indictments on serving trays, no grand moral pronouncements. Writer/director Jacob Aaron Estes simply presents a situation with a great sense of verisimilitude and lets it play to its sad end, leaving the analysis to you.

The gifted Rory Culkins plays Sam, a smart, frail-looking kid who attracts the attention of George (Josh Peck), a bully whose insults soon turn to punches. When Sam’s older brother, Rocky (Trevor Morgan), sees the bruises, he suggests it’s time to teach George a lesson. Sam agrees, but only if Rocky promises that George will get “hurt without really being hurt.”
Uh-oh.

Rocky, with the help of his buddies Marty (Scott Mechlowicz) and Clyde (Ryan Kelley), comes up with an idea that will leave George humiliated, but physically uninjured. It will involve luring George into taking a boat trip with Rocky, Marty and Clyde. Sam will come along, joined by Millie (Carly Schroeder), his pal and quasi girlfriend.

But once the trip begins, the kids discover that George isn’t as bad as he seemed. His manners are dreadful and he’s more juvenile than the youngest of the group, but he has a learning disability and he really seems to be enjoying himself and perhaps he just needs some friends. Maybe, they ponder, maybe they should call off the stunt.

Mean Creek works because, without exception, the young cast is absolutely convincing. I can’t remember when I’ve seen a troupe this young be this credible. You can’t even cite stand-outs here — every young actor utterly nails his or her part. The screenplay is equally impressive, adding color and character to each of the children without being showy about it.

Tragic and disturbing, Mean Creek is powerful because of its simplicity. Bad things happen to people. We watch. We try to make sense of it.