Mean Creek

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Mean Creek

Directed by	Jacob Aaron Estes
Produced by	Susan Johnson Rick Rosenthal Hagai Shaham
Written by	Jacob Aaron Estes
Starring	Rory Culkin Ryan Kelley Scott Mechlowicz Trevor Morgan Josh Peck Carly Schroeder
Music by	Ethan Gold Gretchen Lieberum tomandandy
Distributed by	Paramount Classics Focus Features (outside USA)
Release date(s)	August 20, 2004 (NY/LA)
Running time	90 minutes
Language	English
Budget	$500,000 US
IMDb profile

Mean Creek is a 2004 independent film directed by Jacob Aaron Estes starring Rory Culkin, Ryan Kelley, Scott Mechlowicz, Trevor Morgan, Josh Peck and Carly Schroeder. It was released to wide critical praise.<ref name="rotten">Rotten Tomatoes' Mean Creek Reviews. rottentomatoes.com. Retrieved on 26 October, 2006.</ref>

Tagline: Beneath the surface, everyone has a secret.

1 Plot
2 Trivia
3 References
- 3.1 Footnotes
4 External links

[edit] Plot

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

It begins in a small Oregon town, when a shy kid named Sam confesses to his protective older brother Rocky that he is getting pummeled and bullied daily by the towering school bully, George. Together, they plan the perfect payback, inviting George on a birthday river trip tailor-made to end in the bully's humiliation. Rocky's pals Clyde and Marty and Sam's young girlfriend Millie also join the journey, which starts almost immediately with misgivings. Seeing George in a whole new light, as a lonely kid desperate for friendship and attention, Sam wants to call the whole thing off. But the boat and the plot are already primed to happen, and no one can foresee the surprises and accidents that are to come.

During the trip, Marty becomes angry with George, and tries to hit him. George accidentally gets pushed off the boat by Rocky, who is trying to prevent Marty from hitting him. Unknown to any of them, George cannot swim, and after splashing around in terror hits his head on his camera in the river, killing him. They bury George just off the bank of the river, then Marty takes everyone home, and tells them to keep quiet about the incident, but the group meets behind his back and agrees to tell George's mother. When they confront Marty about their decision, he refuses to join them, instead fleeing across the border.

The police search the river, and find George's body, along with the video camera he brought. The film ends while they watch the beginning of the video at the police station.

[edit] Trivia

The names that Martini says during shooting practice are all names of various cast and crew members.
In the truth or dare scene, when asked about his fantasy, Rocky says he has fantasized about a girl named Susan Johnson. One of the producers of the film is named Susan Johnson.
When Rory Culkin tries to coax Trevor Morgan to call off the prank, we eventually see Josh Peck's character interrupt him and then scratch his head. Scratching his head was actually supposed to be Scott Mechlowicz's cue to say his line.
In the same scene, a crew boat can be seen on the left side of the screen.
When Rocky jumps into the water to save George, you can catch a glimpse of a blue wetsuit under Rocky's t-shirt. Josh Peck, who played George in the film, was also wearing a wetsuit under his long sleeve shirt, due to the fact that the water temperature was 49 degrees.
In the scene where George gives Sam his birthday present, a reflection of the back-up wrapped present can be seen in one of the rear view windows of the car.
When Sam is about to kiss Mille, he looks at the director for info of what to do.
When Sam kept laughing on the boat, that was not supposed to happen. Culkin could not control it so they had the movie like that.