Mystic River is a movie based on the characters’ flaws. When Jimmy was young, he convinced his friends to write in the wet concrete using a stick. They thought purely in the moment and did not think about the repercussions. They did realize that they were destroying property; instead, they were just trying to have a good time. Caught vandalizing property, the boys listened to the “cop” because they did not want to get in trouble by their parents. Instead of thinking rationally, they allowed fear to take control and broke the most basic rule of conduct: they allowed Dave to get inside a stranger’s car. If Jimmy and his friends were not guided by their fear, then they would have questioned the man.
As an adult, Jimmy’s emotions still cause him to make mistakes. Katie has always been a little rebellious, so of course, as a teenager, she won’t listen to her father. The fact that her father bans her from ever seeing Brendan is a little extreme; he never gives him a chance. He makes a rash decision and misjudges Brendan because of his family background. If Jimmy did not react on impulse, and actually gave him a chance, then Katie and Brendan would not have tried to elope, and Katie would probably still be alive. Jimmy also lets his criminal habits return due to his anger. He becomes emotionally unstable after his daughter’s death, and kills Dave without thinking twice about it. He allows his fury to break the loyalty and friendship they once had. Jimmy’s flaw of basing his actions on his feelings rather than actually thinking of the consequences has left him with nothing but agony.
ReplyDeleteYou brought up a good point about Jimmy’s criminal history returning. If he hadn’t let his anger get to him, and wasn’t so focused on getting revenge, then Dave would not have died. He should have just let the detectives do their job and continue with their investigation, instead of taking matters into his own hands. He acted upon his emotions without thinking and this is one of his flaws.