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One of the great things about Clint Eastwood is his uncanny ability to infuse stoicism and apathy into the protagonists of his films, whether he’s in front of the camera or behind it. This strength, however, becomes problematic when used liberally without any control or restraint as seen in “Mystic River.”

With a high-profile cast including Sean Penn, Tim Robbins, Kevin Bacon, and Marcia Gay Harden, a script by Brian Helgeland (“L.A. Confidential”), and a director of Eastwood’s stature, it’s hard to imagine anything could possibly go wrong with this film.

Despite a valiant effort, “Mystic River” exemplifies the fact that a director can truly make or break a film.

For almost fifty years, Eastwood has earned his reputation throughout Hollywood as the brutish actor embodying everything cool about the Old West.  Even with classic police dramas such as “Dirty Harry” and “In the Line of Fire”, the “Go ahead, make my day” Eastwood with whom the pop culture masses are acquainted, always seemed to manifest himself in some mysterious way, often to a degree of success.

In “Mystic River,” this mysterious manifestation fails to recreate the same success as in the past. The apathy of Eastwood’s character in “Unforgiven” has infected the three main characters of “Mystic River,” fashioning overbearing, and at times, annoying individuals.

The characters hides their emotions beneath the trademark Eastwood stoicism, creating an unrealistic tone despite the film’s intentions of evoking realism.

Based on the bestselling novel by Dennis Lehane, “Mystic River” tells the story of three childhood friends, Jimmy Markum (a remarkable Penn), Dave Boyle (a miscast Robbins) and Sean Devine (a reliable Bacon), who are reunited 25 years later after Markum’s 19-year-old daughter is murdered. As the detective leading the investigation, Devine struggles to solve the crime while pacifying a vengeful Markum and delineating allegations against his other friend, Boyle.

While Helgeland’s script comfortably unravels the crime with ease and grace, it has difficulty conveying the dramatic elements necessary for this film to work. Helgeland is unable to properly represent the realism of a father losing his child or the sensations surrounding a wife’s doubting of her husband. This is where a director more aptly attuned to emotions than Eastwood would benefit the film tremendously.

Although the film disappoints on many levels, the actors involved attempt to salvage whatever they can with the little material they are given, providing welcome relief to this tired mess. Bacon is at ease in the detective role of Devine while Marcia Gay Harden superbly brings to life the confused, doubting Celeste Boyle.

But perhaps the greatest performance comes from Penn.

The actor has demonstrated his superb acting abilities in “Dead Man Walking” and “Sweet and Lowdown," but with the character of Markum, Penn etches his mark among Hollywood’s greatest treasures.  This great performance only compels one to wonder why Eastwood was unable to fashion a more provoking film.