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Trailer

Mean Creek

2004Movie1 h 30 minR

CrimeDrama
78
GreatGoodWatch score
IMDb7.1Metacritic748.0Rotten Tomatoes88%82%

A relentlessly bleak, tense crime movie about everyday modern life and growing up, with standout performances and characters.

Good for friends night · teens · thought-provoking

Skip it if you need an uplifting mood

Where to watch

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Not for warmth, laughs or comfort.

Movies with

Story

Beneath the surface, everyone has a secret.

Teenagers living in small-town Oregon take a boat trip for a birthday celebration. When they get an idea to play a mean trick on the town bully, it suddenly goes too far. Soon they're forced to deal with the unexpected consequences of their actions.

Feels like

  • Teenage Drama
  • Moral Dilemma
  • Bullying & Consequences
  • Psychological Thriller
  • Indie Film
  • Bleak & Realistic
  • Coming-of-Age
  • Unforeseen Tragedy
  • Tense Atmosphere

Cast

10 of 10

Crew

Directed by
Jacob Aaron Estes
Written by
Jacob Aaron Estes
Produced by
Rick Rosenthal, Susan Johnson, Hagai Shaham
Music by
Andy Milburn, tomandandy, Tom Hajdu

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

August 20, 2004 · 1 h 30 min · R

Released
August 20, 2004
Runtime
1 h 30 min
Age rating
R
Content
Violence, Strong Language, Disturbing Imagery
Genres
Crime, Drama
Original language
English
Made in
United States
Budget
$500,000
Box office
$603,943
Available in
7 countries

Tropes

Ambiguous Time Period, The Smurfette Principle, Camera Fiend +9

  • Ambiguous Time Period
  • The Smurfette Principle
  • Camera Fiend
  • Heel–Face Door-Slam
  • Berserk Button
  • Kick the Dog
  • Of Course I Smoke
  • Dead-Hand Shot
  • Determinator
  • Irony
  • Aw, Look! They Really Do Love Each Other
  • Pay Evil unto Evil

12 of 56 tropes. From TV Tropes.

Q&A

5 questions, like "Where can I stream Mean Creek?"

Questions about Mean Creek

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream Mean Creek?

Kanopy

In the United States, Mean Creek is free with ads on Kanopy. You can rent or buy it from Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, and Fandango At Home. It also streams in 1 other country.

Is Mean Creek worth watching?

78
GreatGoodWatch score

Mostly, it's well received, with a GoodWatch score of 78 (IMDb 7.1, Rotten Tomatoes 88%, and Metacritic 74).

Will I feel good after watching Mean Creek?

BleakHopeful

Probably not: the title analysis rates it 9 of 10 for bleakness and 8 for melancholy, against 2 for hopefulness.

Is Mean Creek plot-driven or character-driven?

CharactersPlot

Mostly character-driven: it leans on character depth (9 of 10) and pathos (8 of 10) more than on its plot.

What tropes does Mean Creek use?

Ambiguous Time PeriodThe Smurfette PrincipleCamera FiendHeel–Face Door-SlamBerserk ButtonKick the DogOf Course I SmokeDead-Hand ShotDeterminatorIronyAw, Look! They Really Do Love Each OtherPay Evil unto Eviland 44 more

TV Tropes lists 56 tropes for it, including Ambiguous Time Period, The Smurfette Principle, and Camera Fiend.