Jacob Aaron Estes

Mean Creek -- When a teen is bullied, his brother and friends lure the bully into the woods to seek vengeance.

With 1978 suburban New Jersey as the backdrop, this coming-of-age tale follows gawky teen Henry Nearing (Gregory Smith), who -- after his mother's untimely death -- ponders his future and lusts for hot classmate Grace Chance (Jordana Brewster). All the while, his longtime friend Merna Ash (Ashley Johnson) harbors romantic feelings for the oblivious Henry. David Morse plays Henry's father, who reacts to his wife's death by crawling into a bottle.

This coming of age film follows a group of ragtag teens on a boat trip to celebrate their youngest member's birthday - with an ulterior motive, to play a payback trick on the local bully. Mean Creek is a hearty dose of how revenge can change your life in 24 hours and plays like this decade's answer to "Stand By Me."

When a teen is bullied, his brother and friends lure the bully into the woods to seek vengeance.