“Mystic River” is an actor’s movie. It is full of dramatic turmoil, crying, climactic speeches and even some great “good cop, bad cop” moments.

Director Clint Eastwood begins his haunting new film with constant fades to black. He foreshadows the second half of the film, telling us that although things are beginning, they’re coming to a close. The technique may seem awkward at first, but after the film’s dramatic ending, it’s even more powerful.

Sean Penn stands out playing Jimmy Markum, a tough store owner who loses a daughter early in the film. Penn’s quest for revenge is heartfelt and passionate. His raw emotion resonates off the screen.

Tim Robbins is the real star of this film. His character, Dave Boyle, suffers severe psychological trauma from a childhood event that occurs early in the movie. Robbins doesn’t just capture this mood, he is this character. His performance is so captivating that I began to wonder whether Robbins shared a similar experience.

-The film begins with Dave’s tragic childhood experience, which friends Jimmy and Sean partially witness. We advance years later, and Jimmy, who we learn spent some time in prison, owns a convenience store. Dave, still obviously struggling with his past, spends most of his time raising his young son. Sean (Kevin Bacon) is a local detective who makes the gruesome discovery of Jimmy’s murdered daughter.

So three friends who lost touch over the years are reunited under these grisly circumstances. The rest of the film follows the course of the investigation, as well as the three men’s attempts to bury tragic pasts. It’s “Law and Order” meets “In the Bedroom.”

We spend most of the movie trying to decide who the killer is and exactly what happened to Dave as a child. However, the best part of this narrative is that everybody is guilty of something, so figuring out the film’s secrets is extremely difficult.

Eastwood not only directs but also composes the film’s haunting score. It’s the first film in a long time that contains a really memorable theme. Eastwood directs a lot of films, but “Mystic River” definitely will go down as one of his greatest.

Brian Helgeland (“Payback,” “Blood Work”) wrote the script based on Dennis Lehane’s novel, and his adaptation is nearly flawless. Sure, the characters often talk like movie posters (“One chance can save your life!”), but the two story lines are fused together impeccably. There’s a perfect balance of suspense and sorrow, and as horrid as the acts some of these characters commit may be, we still feel sympathy for them. Then, the film is brought to a perfect conclusion where we are given a solution, yet one that raises more questions.

I suspect some will be frustrated with this ending, as it leaves many unanswered questions and consequences. But in reality, problems most often are not solved with neat little endings, or happily-ever-after scenarios. The ending of “Mystic River” can be interpreted in a few ways; it just depends on the eye doing the interpreting.

Films in these genres are made, or broken, in their conclusions. Overall, “Mystic River” is an example of fine storytelling and is one of the best films of the year.