Boston movies

Stars Sean Penn, Tim Robbins, and Kevin Bacon as three friends from the nabe who grow up to be, respectively, a local crime king in semi-retirement, an emotionally shattered abuse survivor, and a cop. The film, Burr says, marks "the big-time return of the Boston movie.'' Inherent Boston-ness? "Just about as good as could ever be expected from a director and a cast with major California credentials. Mystic River is a great movie more than it's a great Boston movie, references to the Cantab in Central Square aside.''

Pictured, Sean Penn as Jimmy Markum.