Mean Creek is a post-Columbine drama that works more effectively than the
provocative but uneven Elephant because it dares to actually delve into the
minds of teenagers rather than just showing the true horrors that some of
them are capable of.

At the center of the story is young Sam (Rory Culkin), a teenager faced with
all the problems most of us faced when we were that age. After Sam is beaten
up by school bully George (chillingly played by Josh Peck), his big brother
Rocky (Trevor Morgan) decides to teach the mean kid a lesson. Along with his
friend Marty (Scott Mechlowicz) and some other pals, Rocky plots a way to
get even with George, but unfortunately, the plot goes horribly wrong -
forcing a group of teens to grow up and make some tough decisions.

Writer/director Jacob Aaron Estes has a great ear for dialogue, and the
teenagers in his movie hit much closer to home than the kids on display in
Larry Clark1s Kids and Bully. I'm not saying the rambunctious youngsters
in those pictures don't exist. They probably do. It's just that kids like
Sam and Rocky remind me of people I knew growing up. They're very real.

Estes also avoids shock for shock's sake (something that often bothers me in
the works of Todd Solondz). These kids don't go out intending to off Rocky
and use him for fish food. The road this plot takes ends where you might
think it will, but the journey is most unexpected. The manner in which
George acts when a certain revelation is brought to his attention, is most
surprising and it is moments like these that lend the film it's unflinching
authenticity.

These are real teenagers involved in real situations, and as I watched Mean
Creek, I was often reminded of River's Edge, Stand By Me and the little seen
gem Permanent Record. Like those movies, this film (while much smaller in
scale) manages to shake you up with it's honesty.

The cast is outstanding. Culkin exudes warmth and innocence. Trevor Morgan
(The Patriot and Sixth Sense) is terrific as Sam's caring brother, although
he often lets weed do his talking for him. Josh Peck is truly frightening
as the troubled George. While a creep on the outside, it's perfectly clear
that this is a lonely young man with deep rooted issues and Peck brings
him to life in compelling fashion. My favorite performance is by young Carly
Schroeder, a girl wise beyond her years. As Sam's crush Millie, Schroeder
makes the most of this small roll. She handles her intense moments of
genuine drama like a true pro and my heart really broke for her in this
picture. The only performance I couldn1t get into was the one given by
Scott Mechlowicz. His Marty is an angry son-of-a-bitch, and upon witnessing
the treatment inflicted on him by his older brother, it's easy to see why.
Unfortunately, his role is slightly over written, and too often, Mechlowicz reminded me of the stale Hayden Christensen.

Mean Creek is a small film but it's an effective one. It's one of the most
realistic portrayals of teenagers I've seen in a long time. It also offers
up a subtle but incredibly shocking revelation about one of it's main
characters. One that haunted me and reminded me of that awful, horrific
event that was Columbine. True, this movie doesn't offer up answers to every
question we might have as to what dredges up violence in certain people, but
it is insightful in it's own way. And it isn't a picture without humanity.
The idea that the majority of these kids opt to do what's right, shows that
we don't live in completely doomed times.