Review of Stone (1974) by Tj H — 28 Apr 2011

I can understand some of the criticisms of this movie in terms of story especially because there isn't much to be honest. It's all about the performances. Norton and De Niro reunite again after their so so outing The Score a number of years ago.

This time Norton plays a jailed arsonist and De Niro plays a parole officer who is trying to decide if Norton is genuine about his regret at killing members of his family years ago. Norto is superb as the convict who is struggling to find a reason for being in prison and what he is supposed to get out of being there so he can reform.

He starts off his sessions with De Niro's parole officer whining about being treated badly and that he shouldn't be there at all. Even his character's voice is different to roles that I've seen him play before and he is still without a shadow of a doubt one of the best actors in Hollywood (It's a shame he allegedly fell out with Louis Letterrier and certain Disney producers on The Incredible Hulk because he is a way better actor than Ruffalo.

Although Ruffalo will do a good job in The Avengers I'm sure) and he seems to have caused problems for himself and seems like he may have now got the dreaded 'difficult to work with' tag. De Niro likewise is superb as the troubled parole officer.

Not all is well with his character at home and his own psyche. The film is basically part religious, finding redemption, hope, seeing God work in mysterious ways, etc and part social study - in that one character is physically imprisoned whilst finding redemption and freedom in his life, whilst the other is physically free but imprisoned in his mind with problems, hopes, dreams and a past that he can no longer do anything about.

It's an interesting movie but not for everyone by a long shot. I liked it, the two main leads make it worth watching and I must say a barely clothed Milla Jovovich is superb in it as well. She is completely unhinged as Norton's wife but I always suspected really bad things from her character which never seemed to manifest.

Clever ideas and interesting themes are tackled in this movie, if you want to watch something that may (or may not) give you something to think about give it a bash but it's not easy viewing.