Stone

Of course, I don't have any percentages, but I have found that most movies I have viewed have been very easily forgotten. Even those I have enjoyed often do not leave much behind. Not so with this one.It begins with a dark event that I thought overshadowed the rest of the movie. This event is little developed afterward, and it is not directly related to the main plot. But it's really in every scene. It shows that Jack Mabry (Robert De Niro) is not the man that he pretends to be. He pretends to be a gruff, tough, fair-minded prison parole officer who is willing to impartially judge those inmates brought before him as candidates for parole. But the aforementioned event and his further actions in the film show that he is truly a lowlife. He is no better a person than "Stone" Creeson (Edward Norton), who is brought before him as a parole candidate or Creeson's wife, Lucetta (Milla Jovovich), who will do "anything" to help get Stone paroled.The acting is consistently outstanding. De Niro becomes Jack Mabry. Norton is most convincing as a profoundly disturbed man who turns to a New Wave-type belief system for relief. He is highly manipulative and desperately wants to get out of prison, but he is strong enough to admit to Mabry that he is not really remorseful about the terrible crime he committed. Jovovich's Lucetta is fascinatingly complex. She uses her considerabe charms to seduce Mabry and seems to "lack all restraint."Yet another gem of a performance is that of Frances Conroy, who portrays Mabry's wife, Madylyn. She's a Bible-thumping, hard-drinking woman who has remained married to Jack for over four decades. But this is certainly not a marriage grounded in love.This may be one of those movies that is generally panned by the critics, is not a big box office smash, but is eventually recognized as a great film. I'll guess we'll just have to wait and see.

I knew from reviews before watching Stone that it was not going to be what I first expected. I would have thoroughly enjoyed a prison show-down movie, but this was an altogether different type of enjoyment. I love character studies, and the four complex characters at the heart of Stone are both thoroughly deconstructed AND remain enigmatic. No nice tidy wrap-ups either. You're left to figure through on your own if Stone (Edward Norton) is nothing more than a sociopath using all his tricks, and his wife (MIlla Jovovich), to play his parole officer(Robert DeNiro), or if there is true substance to his spiritual awakening.Edward Norton gives another mesmerizing performance. Watch his eyes. Milla Jovovich moves into the skin of her character to be fey, childlike, calculating and demanding, erotic, devoted, and thoroughly self-serving in turns. Lucetta was indeed an "alien," a type of woman Robert DeNiro's character had never encountered, and he never stood a chance. DeNiro is entirely convincing as the closed-off Jack, and one chilling flashback provides a dark glance into his respectable, stalwart character even before we are introduced to his other weaknesses. Poor Madylyn (Frances Conroy) rounds out the two couples. Weary, alcoholic, wearing the mask of the dutiful wife to cover her soul-sickness, Madylyn is as imprisoned as Stone. She, like him, finally gains freedom while Jack and Lucetta (who would seem to embody freedom) are left trapped in their own private hells. At least with Jack one is left with a sense of some hope for him.This is the surface story, and it can hold its own. However, as the final scene closes ask yourself this: Is the voice of God more likely to be found in the hum of a bee or the cacophony of radio preachers and badly sung hymns? .

I can't say that I enjoyed this film. The moral and emotional breakdown of these people, with only the depraved inmate coming out of it all serene in his mental, world was disturbing. Whether that serenity was part of his obnoxious pathology or not, it didn't "bother" him. All the acting was inspired; although I do regret ever watching it because it left a real bad taste. I wouldn't recommend for anything except maybe for a study in socio-pathology.

80% In... "Hmmm..."[this movie is making me think a *little*]"/ DeNiro, "... phone's in so many performances" - as the 'Critics' say - because he's so talented he can inhabit a role like this worth little effort. It's not his fault he defined 70's, 2nd, Golden Age of Hollywood (with Pacino... And a few choice directors).He plays a fork of a Willy Lomax type character. And he does it well, even mandible the could - have - easily - been - disgusting - Sex scene's ambivalence.But Ed Norton... As he USED TO DO... really steals the limelight by 80% in. Really he had the center stage at half way.But the end of the movie, it continues the feeling of perseverance without a trajectory.And so the credits roll and i felt... Just me, now, but i felt like "that was kinda thought provoking bit i già you have to decide if you give a shot and want to ponder the endless mono cyclical innuendos and intimations about transcendence... And la of humanity... But without any type of 1. Cloud Hanger, or 2. Consequence to extract some incite from.In other words, they end up exactly the papa that they were, and in the LEAD characters case you know how persons and integrity and who the irony of the entire movie, by the culmination of Scene #1.

Arrived promptly. exactly as buyer stated I am very pleased with my purchase

I enjoyed the film, it was a quality performance from all three stars. The only quibble I have is the sound quality it needed subtitles as I could not understand Norton Southern character In some parts of the film

Great delivery timing and dvd in good condition. The film was poor and I was very surprised that both Edward Norton and Robert De Niro appeared in it as they are very good actors. If you want a good film, buy 'The Score'. That is awesome

This film is quality and features terrific acting, in particular De Niro. It's been a while since I watched it but I do plan on watching again soon on blu ray as it really is a good slow-burning psychological thriller.

A bit disappointing, found it slow, cast were good , film boring !!!