Andy Hawkins
Prof. Adriana Jiménez R.
LM-1477 Literature and Cinema
May 18, 2010
Mystic River: Male Relationships and Psychology
The film “Mystic River” openly portrays the relationships between three main male
characters throughout a thrilling, mysterious storyline which ultimately ends in the mistaken
execution of one main character. Each of these characters is living with some type of
psychological problem which contributes to his decisions and actions. Furthermore, their
longstanding relationship with each other complicates matters as we find out one of them was
sexually abused as a child. “Mystic River” brings out the psychological traits in Dave Boyle,
Jimmy Markum and Sean Devine in their relationships while dealing with the murder of one of
their daughters.
As children, Dave, Jimmy and Sean were neighborhood friends. But when a Catholic
priest posing as a policeman abducted and sexually abused Dave, the three friends grew distant
and rarely spoke to each other over the next twenty five years. The death of Jimmy’s daughter
coincidentally brings them together again. This reuniting of friends is thematic because it was
violence that split them apart as kids and it was violence that brought them back together again
(Ansen 70).
Here, we first see signs of their psychological problems. For Jimmy, although extremely
distraught about Katie’s murder, also has a problem of transference (Spalding). As an ex-con, he
served time in prison because his criminal partner, “Just Ray” Harris, ratted him out after a
robbery. Jimmy had to helplessly watch from prison his first wife died of cancer. Jimmy’s
problem of transference caused him to murder “Just Ray” Harris because he felt it was his fault
why he couldn’t help his dying wife through her cancer. The same trait of transference
influenced him to kill Dave. After Dave’s wife, Celeste, told Jimmy that she thought Dave killed
Katie, Jimmy felt justified in seeking revenge. He redirected, or transferred, his feelings of pain
and guilt into feelings of satisfaction and vengeance. When Dave, both physically and
emotionally wrecked at the docks, told the truth about beating the child molester, Jimmy could
not let Dave live because Celeste confirmed him as Katie’s killer. Jimmy was determined to
hear Dave say he murdered Katie. He even vowed to let him live if he said it. This rage and
frustration in Jimmy is characteristic of his psychological problem of transference.
Furthermore, this psychology, in terms of the patriarchal system, is to an extent seen as
normal behavior. A man, especially one with roles as a husband and father, is not only expected
to provide for himself but also to provide for and take care of his family. In Jimmy’s case, when
his family is jeopardized, he commits himself to protect his family and assure their safety at all
costs, which means killing Katie’s murderer. As Johnson states, “having power over and being
prepared to use it are defined culturally as good and desirable” (94). Jimmy definitely exerted
his power over the drunken Dave, which scared and forced Dave into confessing something he
did not do in order to save his own life. Additionally, this power is attractive in the eyes of
Jimmy’s wife. She told their children “their daddy will do whatever he has to for those he loves,
and that’s all the matters.” She then calls him a king and claims he could rule this town. It has
become socially acceptable, in this social patriarchy, for men to display their anger, rage, and
toughness (94), and to Jimmy’s wife, these are exactly the traits she wants in a man to raise her
family. On a side note, Jimmy is providing for even more than his family. Sending 500 dollars a
month to the Harris family shows that he does not want other people to indirectly suffer from
“Just Ray’s” death. This act of compassion surprisingly contrasts with Jimmy’s more apparent,
cold demeanor.
Dave Boyle also lives a psychologically problematic life. Since his traumatic childhood
kidnapping and sexual abuse, Dave’s psyche has become fractured and twisted. His nightmare
comes back to life after beating a child rapist the same night as Katie’s death. This event opened
a new psychological wound in Dave in which he never recovered. He was so oppressed that he
could not even tell his wife the true story. In a discussion between Dave and his wife, he talks
about vampires from a movie he was watching. In Dave’s eyes, these “vampires” were child
molesters. Dave’s strange behavior arose so much suspicion in Celeste that she felt scared being
around him, so she took herself and their son to a motel and proceeded to tell Jimmy about
Dave’s behavior and mugger cover-up story. It is ironic that Celeste was in a position that could
have saved her husband’s life. Had she instead told Sean everything she knew about Dave, it
might not have lead to his murder. Celeste was scared of Sean and the police after they kept
pressing her for information on Dave’s real story, so naturally, she felt more comfortable telling
Jimmy.
Lastly, we look at the life of Sean Devine, the homicide detective. Perhaps his infamous
childhood incident with Dave influenced his career choice in law and justice. His character is
more hidden from the viewer than Jimmy or Dave’s characters. Sean remains mostly unbiased
throughout the movie, although he does protect Dave when his partner Sergeant Powers suspects
him as the killer. Had Sean and Dave not had a close childhood relationship he probably would
have equally suspected Dave, too. Additionally, Sean’s wife left him and although she calls him,
she does not tell him their baby’s name let alone say anything. The only reason the film gives to
the viewer as to why she left is because he admittedly, “pushed her away.”
Mystic River brilliantly tells not only a thrilling murder story but it also examines the
complex psyche in male psychology. Through the relationships of these three male characters,
the viewer is able to analyze their thoughts, behavior, and actions.
Works Cited
Ansen, David. "The Walking Wounded: In Clint Eastwood's Dark, Devastating Adaptation of
‘Mystic River,’ Shattered Lives Never Go Back Together." Newsweek 13 Oct. 2003.
Academic OneFile. 70. Web. 14 May 2010.
<http://universityofarizona.worldcat.org.ezproxy2.library.arizona.edu/title/movies-clinteastwoods-devastating-mysticriver/oclc/97294677?title=&page=frame&url=http%3A%2F%2Fezproxy.library.arizona.
edu%2Flogin%3Furl%3Dhttp%3A%2Finfotrac.galegroup.com%2Fitw%2Finfomark%2F
=opacFtLink>.
Johnson, Allan G. "Patriarchy, the System: An It, Not a He, a Them, or an Us." The Gender
Knot: Unraveling Our Patriarchal Legacy (1997): 91-98. Print.
Spalding, Archibald. "Psychoanalysis of Mystic River." Shvooing. 30 Aug. 2005. Web. 14 May
2010. <http://www.shvoong.com/humanities/6259-psychoanalysis-mystic-river/>.