George is a bully, but when he beats up 12 year old Sam he makes a fatal error of judgement. Sam's older brother decides to invite George on a boat trip down the river, the hidden agenda being to humiliate George the way he has humiliated so many others. What none of the perpetrators had expected however is that George is just a lost lonely kid, whose fear of rejection and not belonging has manifested itself through aggression and abuse. Having decided that George ain't so bad, the gang call off their vengeful plan, but in place of humiliation comes tragedy and now all involved are the holders of a terrible, guilty secret. Mean Creek is a coming of age dramatic thriller, intelligent and genuinely thoughtful, though I'm not sure it's quite worthy of comparisons with ‘Stand By Me'.