People are voting emotionally.

Great Film overall

Absolutely the worst movie.

It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

I like to like movies that qualify as small gems. TRK had all the potential for such and, for the first forty minutes or so, looked to qualify. The acting wasn't bad (Ed Burns is just a bit too low key) the script is crisp and the pacing, shoot and story suspenseful. Indeed there were a dozen different prospects for; e.g., who the bad guy was going to be. I can't agree with some of the other comments herein that there was enough mood, fine acting, dialog, etc., to distinguish TRK as excellent cinema. But again, after more than a half hour I'm totally absorbed by the plot potential.It is almost as if TRK sets up the viewer for a thousand possibilities only to intentionally fulfill absolutely none of them. A move "fizzles" when it paints itself into a corner then escapes in a clumsy manner. TRK paints itself into a corner and then climbs out a window. Again, there are not enough fine points about this movie to make it enjoyable on another level. Virtually every aspect of the build-up centers on facts, twists, questions, etc., that go unanswered. It is truly difficult to imagine what the makers of TRK wanted the viewer to enjoy about this movie.

Abel (Edward Burns) is a policeman in a small city in Nova Scotia. The main business of the town is a posh and well-respected private secondary school. One day, the body of a young male student is found floating on the neighboring river, under a thin sheet of winter ice. It appears to be a suicide but Abel is unconvinced and orders more forensic tests. Yet, even with some new and startling information from the crime lab, the police chief informs Abel that the death is to be labeled a suicide and the investigation will be closed. Having lost his brother to suicide, Abel feels compelled to dig further, bringing him in contact with an attractive female teacher (Jennifer Ehle) and her stuffy fiancé. Abel also quietly interviews students who knew the deceased young man, although it becomes apparent that the pupil was a loner and had only one true friend. Will Abel discover the truth of the young man's death? This film is a good watch, combining mystery, psychology, and intriguing characters with ease. Burns gives a very fine performance as the police officer in question, while Ehle does an equally nice job as a free-spirited instructor and romantic interest. All of the actors playing the young students are quite compelling and the film's costuming and production values are great, also. As for the snowy setting, the Nova Scotia scenery is bleakly lovely and unusual, making it a good choice for those who love beautiful cinematography. If you are a Burns fan, you must see this film, as his arresting looks and quietly thoughtful performance are the heart and soul of the movie. But, even if you just love mystery plots and out-of-the-ordinary venues, you will find The River King to be quite a good piece of work.

A lot of effort went into the shooting of this movie. The cinematography is really,for the most part, first rate. And the acting is good. But when you've got a turkey, it can only gobble gobble. It is a silly idea to fool the audience completely. We see ghosts and goblins, sort of, but they are really only the figments of the mind of our hero... I guess. What is on the film, anyway? Does he impregnate that with telekinesis? So the plot meanders along, slower than the semi frozen river and we find out that the original idea that sad sack killed himself is indeed the correct answer. I never read the book, nor shall I. I was so happy when this turkey ended, I would never, ever think of jumping into that river again. The plot is just plain silly, except for the buffed cop gets the school marm instead of the aesthete. That's the way it always happens in Hollywood, or Canada, in this case. Ho-Hum.

In the city of Hadin, when two children find the body of the student Gus Pierce (Thomas Gibson) underneath the frozen water of the River King, the policeman Abel Grey (Edward Burns) is assigned for the investigation. The dean of the powerful and conservative local Haddan School where Gus studied, afraid of a possible scandal, tells the police that the outcast boy committed suicide. But Abel, after interviewing his best girlfriend, Carlin Leander (Rachelle Lefreve), suspects that Gus was victim of a hazing of the Order of the Elect, a secret society of the Chalk House. Along his investigation, Abel, who has a trauma with the loss of his brother Frank years ago, finds corruption in his department and love with the teacher Betsy Chase (Jennifer Ehle). In the end, he discloses the truth about the death of Gus, and resolves his innermost issues with the ghost of Frank."The River King" is a pleasant low budget dramatic thriller, with a very good story, acting, direction and cinematography. The story and the characters are very well developed in a suitable pace and I particularly liked very much the performance of Edward Burns. Surprisingly this simple and efficient film is much underrated in IMDb. My vote is seven.Title (Brazil): "O Mistério de River King" ("The Mystery of River King")