Mystic River : Laura Linney's Speech at the End - **SPOILERS**

Ive seen a lot of posts with people saying Laura Linneys (Annabeth) speech at the end of the movie telling Jimmy he is a king was cheesy and ruins the movie. I disagree. I think it is critical to the plot. Heres my take:

As the scene opens, Jimmy is heartbroken that he has killed Dave the wrong man. Annabeth doesnt want this to eat away at Jimmy and destroy him over time like other characters pasts have. He needs to be strong for his family. So she tells him that she and their daughters view him as a king a king who has the strength and willpower to do anything to protect them even if it is a hard thing to do like killing a man. And even though in this case it turned out to be the wrong man, it was the right decision at the time and he has to live knowing that he did it out of love for his dead daughter Katie. She also says that other people are weak compared to them i.e., other people could never be as emotionally strong as they are and could never make those tough decisions, so the fact that he did means he could rule this town if he wanted to. This doesnt mean he is going to become a local crime boss. It is her way of saying he is the strongest man in a town of weak people and he has to move forward knowing that. After this, in the next scene, we see Jimmy come downstairs to watch the parade and he is completely different confident, etc. Basically he has come to terms with killing Dave and will move forward and it was her speech that did that. We get a glimpse of what Jimmy is going to be like in the future.

Another key part of her speech is when she talks about how Celeste mistakenly told Jimmy that her husband Dave killed Katie. In the speech Annabeth says What kind of wife does that? i.e., what a weak woman Celeste must be to turn on her husband even when he might have done something wrong. This is driven home when she sees Celeste wandering the sidewalk looking for her dead husband the man she abandoned and how it destroyed her life, while Annabeth is perfectly happy because she has accepted her husband for who he is. When they lock eyes, you can see the disdain Annabeth has for Celeste who she views as a weak woman.

Bottom line I think her speech is pivotal in understanding how two main characters will move forward i.e., Jimmy has forgiven himself and Celeste has ruined her life.

Thats my take anyway.

Btw I do agree with other posters that Kevin Bacons gun gesture at the end was a little cheesy. A little too Dirty Harray-esque for this movie. It didnt fit his character at all.

I agree, Annabeth's speech was a critical part of the film. In the novel though, it is highly implied that Jimmy is getting his gang back together and is going to become a crime boss.

I disagree though, Kevin Bacon's gun gesture was also critical to the film. He knew that he couldn't nail Jimmy for Dave's murder, just not enough evidence, but the gun gesture shows that Sean is going to hunt Jimmy down and get him eventually. When Sean and Jimmy were talking on the street in the couple scenes before, Sean knew Jimmy did it but wasn't resolved to go after him. At the parade, we see the change in Sean that he will now go after Jimmy with everything he's got.

Honestly this movie is a great prequel. I want to see the crazy criminal schemes Jimmy comes up with, and the measures that Sean goes to stop him.

Annabeth's speech at the end was simply her having delusions of grandeur at best. It wasn't cheesy, it shows how far people are willing to go to ignore horrendous deeds and their past.

Annabeth is a bitch who gets off on being with psychopathic violent men. Her line about nothing Jimmy did out of love for his daughters being wrong was so ridiculous! So love of his daughter justifies cold blooded murder? I literally laughed out loud. Dave loved his son too. She doesn't even care that an innocent man was killed! She's just happy her violent husband acted like a neanderthal and murdered someone. She'd probably be happy if he killed anyone, just so he could vent his rage over Katie's death. I enjoyed the movie, but this part really irked me. Also the fact that Sean *knows* Jimmy murdered TWO PEOPLE and can't do anything about it. They want us to have sympathy for Jimmy, yet the more we learn about him the uglier he looks.

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I agree with netrek. Her speech at the end is my least favorite part of the movie. Comparing Jimmy Markum to a king is pretty laughable. When she mentions that their daughters know that Jimmy is a king and will do anything to protect them, is she implying that they told the girls what he did to Dave? I doubt that is the case, which leaves two daughters that look up to a strong father with admirationeasily attainable by being a good role model without killing people. Also, killing Dave Boyle (and Just Ray Harris for that matter) had nothing to do with protecting his family, but instead were about revenge.

I just watched this today and the OP's analysis of her speech seems pretty on-point to me. Looking at it from her perspective, i.e., her family, what family doesn't look to the father figure as some sort of king? And if she saw that he was giving in to his guilt and shame, therby becoming unable to be the strong father figure for her and his childreny, it makes perfect sense that her outlook would be one of, yes, what you did was wrong, but you did what you had to do for the sake of your family because you are strong, and what strong man wouldn't do what he had to for his family? I think the point is, he was racked with the pain of losing a daughter, as well as killing the wrong man, his friend, in an act of revenge. Overwhelming.

Sorry, I don't buy that at all. I think the film's final ten minutes or so spoilt what could have been a very good film. It simply hit the wrong note. Penn's character is not some noble family man, some strong king at all, but a not very bright, self-righteous small-time thug dealing on the edge of criminality.

He would be acted like a real king if he would confess to Sean what he did - accept the consequences ( end up a very little payback) because he was already sending 500$ to Ray's wife all the time for what he did in past. He shouldnt act like a little p and try to get away with it. Stop glorifying what he did

no dont expect me to say him to send Celeste $1000 because she is her wife's cuz..

I'm not sure the film is saying he's strong at all to be honest. I think the speech is more about Annabeth's interpretation of events. She knows she has to get Jimmy back onside after the anguish of losing Katie and killing Dave for the sake of the family (the family would be weakened by an emotionally-racked Jimmy). The film itself isn't making any value judgements over whether Jimmy is strong or not. That's left up to the viewer. In fact, I think the film leans towards the opposite i.e makes Jimmy out to be a very lousy human being becuase he was able to brush off the wrongful death of Dave at the drop of a hat. It doesn't spoil the film for me to be honest. It was something very necessary that gave us the final insight we needed into Jimmy's character. He's just killed a lifelong friend who's been through hell because of his stupid idea but a bit of sweet talk from his wife and everything is OK again. He's a total dick.

Agreed.

Excellent comments.

I just watched this for the second time in years, and I can understand the different ways to interpret her speech and I guess justify why she said it (though it still bothers me) HOWEVER, the one part I can't understand is her cold judgment of Celeste "what kind of wife says those things about her husband?" Really? It seems to me that she suddenly comes out at the end of the movie after playing a relatively minor role and then reveals herself as this cold-hearted woman. Really troubling. And then that stony look she gives Celeste during the parade.
I think the scene is somewhat balanced, though, by the utter shame and frustration that Jimmy expresses when Sean tells him that Dave was innocent.

This is preposterous; I did not order a Spanish omelet!

That scene bothers me too, but I definetely think it was crucial to the film. Just like Sean's gesture at the parade, Sean knew Jimmy had killed Dave and Jimmy knew he was guilty especially when Sean told him the truth.

"I am the ultimate badass, you do not wanna `*beep*` wit' me!" Hudson in Aliens.

I just saw this film on tv and I enjoyed it very much till Jimmy's wife opened her mouth. If my husband had killed a man, I would NOT want him to be an example for our children (unless of course it was in self-defense).

Jimmy is a murderer, first of Just Ray and then of Dave. He should be admired? His children and wife should be proud of him?

Oh my god I just wanted to strangle her for that *beep* condescending look she gave Celeste at the end of the film.

I'm sorry, but murdering a man that you simply BELIEVE killed your daughter (and it turns out you're completely wrong) is never something that should just be accepted as "Well, I did it for the family, and that makes me strong". I understand there are two sides to every discussion, but I think it speaks to a complete lack of a moral code to think that a vengeance killing, that you know damn well after the fact was the wrong guy, should ever be accepted as the right thing to do just because your motives were out of "love" (and more likely out of blind rage).

I'll teach your grandmother to suck eggs

Killing Dave doesnt have much to do with protection, it was revenge. Protection = Prevention or a mechanism to prevent harm. So yeah. Also by the end of the film lost almost all empathy for Jimmy, also thought his wife was simply an idiotic enabler.

Kevin Bacon's gun action was awesome, signified that he was going to get Jimmy.

Personally I would have preferred it if the movie ended after Jimmy and Sean's conversation where Sean says that they never left the Cellar.

You know what the Queen said? If I had balls, I'd be King.

Well, the point is they do lack the moral code. In their eyes, Dave was damaged goods - even if he was innocent.

Hudsonnnnnnnnnnn!


It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing .

I see what you mean, but Celeste DID screw up big time by going to Jimmy and ratting out her husband. What did she think would happen? There are several threads dedicated to her decision making process. I agree that Annabeth was very cold but in this instance I totally get it. If I thought my husband had murdered someone, I would go to the cops, not the "neighborhood watch".

Annabeth was playing Lady MacBeth to Jimmy. Earlier in the film, when she seemed a pretty decent normal wife and mother, I could not understand why she had married a man who had served two years in prison. Well the end explained it. she wanted the power that comes with being the wife of a man at the top, whether he is a King or Crime Lord. If he hesitated, she was going to get behind him and give him a push.

I do think this character trait would have been better revealed earlier in the film as it would have gone a long way to understanding Jimmy's deviating from going straight, but I have not read the book and this may have been what the author intended.

I agree completely, her speech was amazing, she had only a small role in the film but very pivotal. Her speech was very similar to Lady MacBeth's speech in MacBeth. Whoever says that her speech was cheesy obviously is at least a little bit retarded.

I just finished watching this film for the first time and I think Annabeth's speech to Jimmy was an important part of the movie. Let's face it, Jimmy is a criminal, and a bad-ass. That sort of primal virility turned her on. Remember when Karen first sees Henry Hill pistol-whip her neighbor in Goodfellas. She says, 'I gotta tell ya, it turned me on." Same thing here. Annabeth revealed she is nothing more than a mobsters wife. This is further revealed when she looks with disdain at Celeste at the end, because it was Celeste who sealed her husband's fate.

I also was OK with Sean's gun pointing gesture to Jimmy at the end. As Sean had said in his talk with Jimmy, "sometimes I think, I think all three of us got in that car" and through that he revealed that ANY relationship they had died that day. So the gesture came down to just a cop signaling to a thug, "I know, and later you'll pay."

Even though I'm anti murder, I thought her speech at the end was increadible.

I'm not specifically commenting on the OP, but the thread is acting up. So I'll just post my take.

It's good she had his back in a way. But she should have encouraged him to take responsibility for his actions. In fact I gave him a little credit for feeling guilty at all. But just moving on was wrong.

At the same time she had a point in saying "what kind of wife does that?". Jimmy didn't go after his friend by himself. He was set on him by that idiotic woman. If she is a victim it's that of her own actions.

http://informed-cat-care.com/

Having watched this for a second time, although her speech seemed out of place initially it's more of a reality check on her side of the family. It's mentioned during the film that they wanted Jimmy to re-establish to that life again. This was the push.

Seemingly being the demure wife earlier in the film because of her small role is quite a red herring. The whole film is shrouded in mystery of what really goes on behind closed doors between all the characters.

exactly the first time I watched this movie I was shocked and appauled at that last speech and I remember it left such a cold taste in my mouth I thought it was sending such a horrible message for the end of the film.

but now I realize its not really changing the demeanor of the film its just adding to the characterization of jimmy and annabeth. It isn't how we the audience are supposed to feel but it is clearly how annabeth views her marriage and her husband. jimmy markum is a loving devoted father and in the first part of the film you feel his naguish and pain so much but by the end you realize this guy is really a cold blooded characteryeah you feel his pain and boy do you feel it but it doesn't mean he is an actual good person and the same goes for annabeth.and the same for devine and dave (on that note I didn't think any of the characters were truly good people)

I think that ending speech just adds more depth to the kind of people annabeth and jimmy were and I appreciate that scene more and more

if you are looking for some kind of closure then look to the gun motion sean gives jimmyits not much but its the most you can getthis isn't a movie that gets wrapped upits mostly a sad movie that leaves you thinking.

Laura has the WORST accent I have ever heard! With what little she spoke. It was HORRIBLE. OMG.

It's a pretty memorable scene.

Her speech chilled me to the bone. What's worse: women like that really exist.


It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing .

Some good points were made here, but there's another reason why this scene was important- it shows how the main characters have surrounded themselves with people who perpetuate and reinforce their own natural inclinations.

Jimmy is a tough guy who is willing to do anything to right any wrongs, real or imagined, committed against him. Dave has his own obvious issues and insecurities brought on by what happened when they were kids.

Annabeth's speech shows that it doesn't all come down to what happened years ago. Annabeth and Jimmy are two peas in a pod, and so are Dave and Celeste. Celeste is weak (at least from Annabeth's perspective), the same as Dave was, and that gets Dave killed. Up until this scene, we didn't realize that Annabeth is not only complicit, but she also plays her part in shaping Jimmy's outlook.

One thing that is still a bit of a mystery to me is how to relate Sean and his wife to all of this.

I understood it, but I still thought it was cheesy. It was cheesy in the book too. It's a good sentiment and it explains a lot about Jimmy's character and the family dynamic, but the dialogue is just cringe-inducing. I thought the gun gesture was perfectly appropriate though. It's a great closer to the film and leaves you with the lingering suspicion that Sean will bring Jimmy down one day. Jimmy is no king and he's not as strong as his wife thinks he is. The death of his daughter and the subsequent murder of Dave turns him back into what he was before, just a two-bit thug, and Sean will eventually nail him because he's careless.

You who wish to conquer pain, you must learn to serve me well.