The transformation of Michael Keaton from a mainstay in Nineteen Eighties American comedies to one of the dynamic main males within the business has been one of the stunning developments of the previous couple of years. Keaton was already beloved by audiences for his function in blockbusters just like the Batman collection and Beetlejuice, however he had by no means actually ventured into “status territory” till his breakthrough Academy Award nomination for Finest Actor in Alejandro Gonzáles Iñárritu’s 2014 movie Birdman (or the Surprising Advantage of Ignorance). Nevertheless, Keaton almost received his shot at main man stardom a decade earlier when he received near touchdown a spot in Clint Eastwood’s 2003 epic Mystic River. The function, which ultimately went to Kevin Bacon, actually would have modified the course of his profession.
Keaton’s stardom had lengthy since light within the early twenty first century. After leaving the Batman franchise following the discharge of 1992’s Batman Returns, Keaton grew to become extra of a personality actor than a number one man. Whereas his work in movies resembling A lot Ado About Nothing, Out of Sight, Jackie Brown, and The Paper was actually spectacular, these movies succeeded primarily based on the success of their respective ensembles and administrators; Keaton was much less important to their reputation. This doesn’t counsel that he made any missteps as an actor, nevertheless it did change audiences’ views on what a “Michael Keaton film” truly was.
Though Keaton’s ensemble work was nonetheless largely inside comedically-minded movies, Eastwood nonetheless felt that he could be a great match for his newest crime thriller Mystic River. Primarily based on the extremely acclaimed novel of the identical title by Dennis Lehane, Mystic River facilities on the experiences of three childhood pals who grew up collectively in Boston. Sean Penn has already been solid as Jimmy Markum and Tim Robbins was set to play the function of Dave Boyle. Eastwood felt that Keaton might add one thing to the ensemble, and solid him because the third member of the trio, Sean Devine.
Sean is without doubt one of the movie’s extra underappreciated characters. Jimmy is an unrelenting power of nature with a virtually uncontrollable rage, and Dave is a delicate man who holds a historical past of abuse and darkish secrets and techniques inside his coronary heart. Sean is a counterbalance between them; he serves as a member of the Massachusetts Police Division, and makes an attempt to unravel the thriller behind the loss of life of Jimmy’s younger daughter (Emmy Rossum). Whereas Jimmy is fast to evaluate and suspect others throughout the neighborhood, Sean is extra delicate and grounded in his method to the case. Nevertheless, that doesn’t cease him from suspecting Dave primarily based on their mutual historical past collectively.
Keaton did a number of script readings with the solid, and even did his personal analysis into the practices of the Massachusetts Police Division in an effort to study extra about Sean’s obligations within the story. Nevertheless, Keaton and Eastwood reportedly go right into a disagreement concerning the depiction of the character which led to some artistic difficulties on set. Eastwood’s insistence on the smoothness of his productions is without doubt one of the most well-known issues about him, and he wasn’t fascinated by making an attempt to alter the script primarily based on Keaton’s concepts concerning the function. Although Keaton reportedly moved to Boston quickly in an effort to immerse himself within the function, an argument resulted in Keaton’s elimination from the mission. He was changed shortly thereafter by Kevin Bacon.
Though Keaton actually would have added one thing completely different to Mystic River, the movie didn’t want him in an effort to succeed. Mystic River felt like Eastwood had introduced a brand new stage inside his profession. Over a decade had handed since Eastwood’s ultimate epic western Unforgiven, and it grew to become clear that he had pursuits exterior the style that he had made his title in. Mystic River grew to become one of many largest hits of his profession, scoring Academy Award nominations for Finest Image, Finest Director, and Finest Tailored Screenplay; each Penn and Robbins gained the Oscars for Finest Actor and Finest Supporting Actor, respectively.
Bacon is kind of good in Mystic River, nevertheless it’s additionally the kind of grizzled police function that he’s finest recognized for. Had Keaton been solid, it could’ve felt extra authentic, as audiences would have needed to alter to seeing such a sometimes goofy actor enjoying such a darkish character. Though Sean is finally on the aspect of justice, he does some fairly horrible issues in Mystic River, and covers for Jimmy when he is aware of that his childhood good friend is responsible. It might have been fascinating for Keaton to play in opposition to sort, and maybe would have influenced the course that his profession went within the subsequent decade.
Dropping out on the Mystic River function didn’t simply imply that Keaton wasn’t a part of an Oscar-winning trendy traditional; it made his tasks throughout the subsequent few years really feel much more egregious contemplating what he had missed out on. Following the 2003 launch of Mystic River, Keaton starred in disastrous comedies resembling Herbie: Absolutely Loaded, Recreation 6, The Final Time, and Submit Grad. His profession had depleted considerably till he was solid in Birdman in a self-reflective function that allowed him to ponder the character of his success. Keaton’s efficiency in Birdman earned him an Academy Award nomination, proving as soon as and for all that he was dedicated to cutting-edge tasks from distinctive filmmakers. Keaton might not have made it into Mystic River, however he did discover his place in Boston ultimately because of his function within the subsequent 12 months’s Finest Image winner, Highlight.