Stone (2010)

This movie is about religious philosophy. If you are not into religious philosophy or seeing the raw sexuality of Milla Jovovich then go elsewhere. The movie asks questions about the seemingly contradiction of free will vs. God's will. If God has a master plan, then aren't our wrong doings part of it? If so, should we regret our sins?In what appears to be a role reversal De Niro places a parole officer and Edward Norton a prisoner. Early on we find out that De Niro has some anger management problems. As a child he hit his brother in the head with a hammer and threatened to kill his daughter if his wife left him. He is the parole officer who judges people.Norton plays a convict who started a fire to cover up a crime committed by his cousin. His nickname is "Stone." Stone, according to the new religion of Norton is the beginning phase of a soul. We all start out as stones and work our way up to humans as part of the eternal process. His simple questions and answers cause De Niro to think and examine his own life and religious belief.Milla's religious views come out late in the movie, and they too have an effect on De Niro. Much of the movie consists of various conversations with very little action. The background radio chatter of a religion station sets the mood. If you know how to listen, God will talk to you. Sex, nudity, f-bomb and a few other expletives that surprised me.Milla is extremely sensual in this film: Her eyes, raised eyebrow, lips, smile, mannerisms, nudity, and especially her whispers.

Jack Mabry (Robert De Niro) is a complicated man. As a young father, he hangs his daughter out the window to force his wife Madylyn (Frances Conroy) to stay. He has a few weeks before retirement as the prison parole eligibility officer. One of his last cases is Gerald 'Stone' Creeson (Edward Norton). He's combative but also demanding to get out early. He gets his wife Lucetta (Milla Jovovich) to seduce Mabry.De Niro and Norton get a couple of interesting characters to work with. This seems to be set up for some great acting and intense character drama. I do like the interactions between the two leads. Jovovich is able to keep up. It stumbles here and there. I don't really get the mishmash of religion in this. I think this could have been award winning performances if the movie is better written.

The Storyline, above, provides sufficient information to set the whole scenario for you. My comments will concentrate on the three essential characters - a ménage à trois, so to speak - who form the substance of this story. Here is Jack (De Nero), a parole officer nearing voluntary retirement; here is Stone (Norton), a convict nearing the end of his enforced retirement; and over there is Lucetta (Jovovich) nearing the end of her patience - waiting seven years for Stone's release from prison.At fade-in, we find out two crucial facts in two minutes or less: young Jack is prepared to commit the very worst kind of atrocity to keep his marriage, and his wife, Madylyn (Conroy) is an abused young woman wanting out of a dead marriage (see the first lines in Quotes, above).Forty years later, Jack is still an icy-calm control freak who's been listening to convicts' sob stories for too, too long; so much so, his face is set as though in stone. Jack never truly smiles; he probably doesn't know how. Sitting opposite Jack - literally and figuratively - we met Stone who wants - needs, so he says - parole because he has finally seen the light, the error of his ways. A stark contrast to Jack, Stone is too talkative, too inquiring, too hip, too jovial at times, too much in-your-face for Jack to take. The explicit script and perfect deliveries by both players are simply scintillating.The give and take between the two persists and enters a new and dangerous dimension when Lucetta sets about seducing Jack to grant the parole Stone needs and wants - in between her own sexual forays with other men. Faithful - to anybody - she is definitely not. What's more: Stone knows that and even warns Jack that "she's an alien". The slow-paced build-up of tension will annoy those who expect Psycho-like action and mystery. This is not schlock psychology; this is the plain truth about some people's real lives in anybody's town. About a disturbed, depressed and repressed Jack, all alone but married all his life, with a daughter and grandchild he never sees any more, as he struggles to rationalize all of his past sins - particularly during his eulogy at his brother's funeral - but psychologically incapable of facing his own dreadful, awful reality. Until it's too late. It's a tour de force of acting guaranteed to make many viewers squirm in their seats. Little wonder this movie bombed at box office.As a contrast, we see the young Stone gradually turning to malleable clay as he discovers and truly faces his own devils and decides to break with his past completely - the alien within as much as without viz. the shapely, sinuous and seductive Lucetta (and a great piece of acting by Vovovich). Throughout this story, the deliciously ironic snatches of day-time religious shows and interviews overlay the dichotomy of each of Jack's and Stone's search for ... redemption within themselves, if not with their god. One of them eventually succeeds.... Just how all that is shown I'll leave you - urge you - to see for yourself. The denouement between Jack and his wife is gut wrenching - and liberating. That between Jack and Stone - erstwhile master and slave - is precisely, exactly right.The rest of the cast is uniformly fitting and effective. The direction and editing are exemplary. Nine out of ten for this effort.

The movie is great, however do not watch it if you expect something light. I really enjoyed watching Robert De Niro. He is brilliant. When I watched him I felt like I knew how he was feeling and what he was thinking. I understood his dilemmas, frustrations and almost despair. Edward Norton is quite amazing too. The interaction between those two in the movie is full of emotional charge, surprises and twists. I was surprised to find out that movie has only 3 stars on this website. I am guessing people would rather watch something light and entertaining. This movie is quite complicated, it reminds me of another great movie -"Monster's Ball". I loved both.