Robert DeNiro plays a parole officer about to retire and Edward Norton is cast as a convicted arsonist, trying to convince him that he should get an early release from prison in this gripping "noirish" thriller from director John Curran.
Rather than "convince," the wily Norton is, actually, trying to "manipulate" DeNiro into writing a favorable assessment. He even goes so far as having his beautiful, off-the-wall wife (Milla Jovovich) seduce the corrections official in order to accomplish that.
Though Angus McLachlan's screenplay sometimes tends to meander, it is populated with a quartet of fascinating multi-dimensional characters, none of which are particularly likable, yet all who are seeking some sort of spiritual enlightenment.
DeNiro, in a loveless marriage (to Frances Conroy), finds that his church going cannot help him avoid his darker impulses, while Norton, after he witnesses a fellow prisoner being murdered, claims to have had a religious epiphany. The operative word here is "claims," because we're never quite sure if he's telling the truth or if this apparent change is simply a ruse to get what he wants.
What makes STONE so compelling is its performances. DeNiro, in one of the most complex roles he has had in years, plays a man fighting the evil within him, while Norton utilizes his unique talent to bring to life a chameleon-like sociopath. Though she does not have a lot to do, Ms. Conroy is brilliant as the mostly silent, religious wife who has bargained away her life out of fear.
Certainly Ms. Jovovich, cast as the bold, sexy wife who will stop at nothing to get what she wants, delivers the most colorful and surprising performance. Part bimbo and part seductress, this is one of those women of film noir who would give Barbara Stanwyck's "Phyllis Dietrichson" (DOUBLE INDEMNITY) a run for her money. And, it is also prime evidence that Ms. Jovovich is capable of doing material much more interesting than the RESIDENT EVIL franchise.
Rather than "convince," the wily Norton is, actually, trying to "manipulate" DeNiro into writing a favorable assessment. He even goes so far as having his beautiful, off-the-wall wife (Milla Jovovich) seduce the corrections official in order to accomplish that.
Though Angus McLachlan's screenplay sometimes tends to meander, it is populated with a quartet of fascinating multi-dimensional characters, none of which are particularly likable, yet all who are seeking some sort of spiritual enlightenment.
DeNiro, in a loveless marriage (to Frances Conroy), finds that his church going cannot help him avoid his darker impulses, while Norton, after he witnesses a fellow prisoner being murdered, claims to have had a religious epiphany. The operative word here is "claims," because we're never quite sure if he's telling the truth or if this apparent change is simply a ruse to get what he wants.
What makes STONE so compelling is its performances. DeNiro, in one of the most complex roles he has had in years, plays a man fighting the evil within him, while Norton utilizes his unique talent to bring to life a chameleon-like sociopath. Though she does not have a lot to do, Ms. Conroy is brilliant as the mostly silent, religious wife who has bargained away her life out of fear.
Certainly Ms. Jovovich, cast as the bold, sexy wife who will stop at nothing to get what she wants, delivers the most colorful and surprising performance. Part bimbo and part seductress, this is one of those women of film noir who would give Barbara Stanwyck's "Phyllis Dietrichson" (DOUBLE INDEMNITY) a run for her money. And, it is also prime evidence that Ms. Jovovich is capable of doing material much more interesting than the RESIDENT EVIL franchise.
Edward Norton is always fascinating to watch--something slippery always lingers behind his eyes. In Stone, Norton plays a convicted arsonist nicknamed Stone who's desperate to persuade his parole officer, Jack Mabry (Robert De Niro), to argue for his early release--so desperate that he asks his wife, Lucetta (Milla Jovovich, The Fifth Element), to seduce Mabry. But while these machinations play out, Stone starts having a spiritual awakening … or is this another attempt at manipulation? Director John Curran and Norton worked together previously on The Painted Veil, and they clearly have a rapport: Norton's performance is fluid and sinuous, working its way into Mabry's consciousness and, potentially, the audience's. De Niro is, of course, solid, though he projects such a steely will that it's difficult to accept him as a man who succumbs to base appetites. Writer Angus MacLachlan wrote the luminous Junebug; while Stone doesn't manage the same rich humanity--despite the excellent acting by all involved, the story feels cramped and schematic--there are strong passages. But fundamentally, it's Norton who makes the movie worth watching; even the scenes he's not in feel like they're about him, how his influence ripples out into the people around him. --Bret Fetzer
