Mean Creek - 'Stand by Me's' lost lost cousin

I mentioned the classic Stephen King book-to-film adaptation 'Stand by Me' in the title, therefore I can officially not bother talking about the similarities for the rest of the review. 'Mean Creek' begins with a - young and slightly chubby Josh Peck - bullying another boy (Rory Culkin) during school and filming the altercation.  Instead of going to any adults, Culkin confides in his older brother and his friends later that day.  Between them all, they hatch a plan to get revenge on the bully by luring him into the woods on a pretext of a fishing trip and leaving him out there, naked.  I guess it's fair to say that things don't go entirely according to plan.

What follows is a tale about a group of young people who deliberately separate themselves from the laws and morals of society (and adults, obviously) in order to embark on a voyage into nature.  It's a film of 'two halves' and, when I say 'two halves' I probably mean three quarters and one quarter.  The first 75% is a sort of slow build-up where we get to know the characters.  In other films this could be pretty dull, if it wasn't for the underlying sense of dread and tension that is gradually forming.  When it finally happens (yes, about three quarters of the way through), the film naturally changes pace and format.  It's a release and the 'final act' shows us the aftermath of what's gone before.

If it has a true strength it's the performances of the youngsters at the centre of the story.  It can always be hit or miss when you have a young cast.  Many a time you can see the cracks in their acting ability.  Not here.  Every last one gives a great performance, especially Culkin and Peck.

I know I'm being a bit vague as to what happens, but this film is really good.  Yes, it's not a white-knuckle, thrill-ride, but it's not a long film and definitely worth your time if you're looking for something a little deeper than your average Hollywood blockbuster.  It may not quite have the total adoration that 'Stand by Me' enjoys, but this is a worthy compendium piece that should also find an audience in those who enjoyed King's (rare non-horror) story.

7/10 if I woke up on Groundhog Day and had to watch this again, I could live with that