Mean Creek

Deliverance meets Stand By Me. Mean Creek is a boy’s own drama abmirably played out in which a form of retribution gets out of hand on the river. George (Josh Peck) is a large boy who been throwing his weight around at school. Friends Sam and Clyde (Rory Culkin and Ryan Kelly) decide to cook up a plan to get back at George for his bullying. Coming along on the boating trip are two older boys including Sam’s elder brother and Sam’s girlfriend Millie (the voice of reason).

This is a tense affair on board boat, merely because you’re aware of a plan to humiliate George but have no idea what will happen when its executed, but the film has that air of impending doom, a lull before the storm ahead. Naturally Millie tries to tell Sam to abort his revengeful plans but the older boys are going to be involved and one in particular is determined to see that George doesn’t get off the hook.

Estes does a good job – this is his debut – and it clearly shows he has talent. He guides the film through stormy waters and then lets the characters work out almost, where the story will go after that. Good performances – particularly from Scott Mechlowicz (clearly destined for greater things) and also from Rory Culkin and Peck as fall-guy George.

Matt Arnoldi