Mean Creek

Intelligent and interesting

Graeme Barton from London, UK , 25/05/2005

This is the sort of teen movie they should show in schools. It's an inteligent look at bullying and what happens when kids take things into their own hands. The film features a strong performance from Rory Culkin who is the target of the schoolyard bully.

This film is absorbing and makes good use of its rural setting with strong cinematography and direction from debutant, Jacob Aaron Estes.

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school report: good effort but must remember to follow through

Rip from Manchester [Highly rated reviewer] , 12/04/2006

Great film, it evokes sympathy with the unlikable character but also creates an understanding of other's dislike of him. This balance of character study is well crafted.

I look forward to the second half, I hope it comes out soon as I would like to see what happens.

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this film was awesome!

Daniel Dickson from Retford, Nottinghamshire , 06/10/2005

this film was one of the best ive seen in a while, their are mixed reviews for this film because it ends giving the viewer different perceptions, i enjoyed the ending to this film, beacause it showed another side to the bully that was misunderstood, which when you see the film for a second time gives you a different potrayal of the kid.

the idea may have been basic, but the point to it was the outcome and the sudden drastic changes it made to their lives.

great acting, great story, great charecters. loved it!!

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Revenge is never sweet

Tommi from London, England , 20/11/2005

A venomous bully, George, gets his comeuppance when a prank goes terribly wrong. The beautiful location (albeit ironic in contrast to the nature of the film) is heavenly - the cinematography wonderful. The actors are superb and whilst their characters aren't deeply profiled it's easy to sympathise with their mutual mental scar; a consequence of their revenge. Despite the slow tempo, it's very enjoyable and totally absorbing. The abrupt end is simply a way of portraying a memory that these children will share for the rest of their lives.

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how do films like this get made?

A customer from cheltenham , 09/08/2006

very simplistic, lightweight, and attempts to become deep and meaningful...but is not. if it was produced by a sixth form drama group, it could be forgiven, but how things like this get past 'the pitch' is extraordinary. the bully does not merit sympathy, and the only thing puzzling is that the 'characters' back track on their agreement to teach him a lesson. maybe that is why so many bullies survive (as a bully) and flourish into adulthood. really not a film worth seeing, neither eerie, tense, interesting or believeable.

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A little disappointing

trotsuk from LONDON [Highly rated reviewer] , 17/02/2006

I'd heard lots of good things about this one, but I have to say I found it a little disappointing. 'A cross between deliverance and Stand By Me'? Perhaps. But not in the same league as either of those far superior movies.

It starts of great, a well-acted and realistic look at bullying in schools, as well as the nature of revenge. It inevitably all goes wrong, resulting in accidental death, but then the kids make an extraordinarly unrealistic and stupid call; rather than phone the police, they decide to bury the body. Why would they do this? From this point the film lost me really. When it ended abruptly about 25 minutes later I thought perhaps i'd missed something. It will leave you wanting to know more, wanting some sort of conclusion, redemption, punishment, something. Shame.

Little Culkin there is one to watch though.

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