Stone, the upcoming film from John Curran (The Painted Veil), is a rather curious project. The storyline reeks of thriller cliches (especially from the prison sub-genre), yet there are enough proven people involved to keep the film from being dismissed. Not only are there great stars in front of the camera, but the script comes from Agnes MacLachlan, who scribed the acclaimed Junebug.
It goes without saying that this is a drastic genre change for the screenwriter, but hopefully his inexperience with crime films can be aided by Robert De Niro and Edward Norton, who have both made a living in these types of movies. Milla Jovovich, who will play Norton‘s wife, should also not be overlooked. Did anyone see her impressive turn in the creepy thriller A Perfect Getaway?
Overture Films will release Stone on October 8th. A synopsis is listed below, along with an embedded trailer. A crisper version can be found at Apple.
Plot: Academy Award® winner Robert De Niro and Oscar® nominee Edward Norton deliver powerful performances as a seasoned corrections official and a scheming inmate whose lives become dangerously intertwined in Stone, a thought-provoking drama directed by John Curran (The Painted Veil, We Don’t Live Here Anymore) and written by Angus McLachlan (Junebug). As parole officer Jack Mabry (De Niro) counts the days toward a quiet retirement, he is asked to review the case of Gerald “Stone” Creeson (Norton), in prison for covering up the murder of his grandparents with a fire. Now eligible for early release, Stone needs to convince Jack he has reformed, but his attempts to influence the older man’s decision have profound and unexpected effects on them both. Stone skillfully weaves together the parallel journeys of two men grappling with dark impulses, as the line between lawman and lawbreaker becomes precariously thin. The film’s superb ensemble features Milla Jovovich (The Fifth Element) as Lucetta, Stone’s sexy, casually amoral wife, and Golden Globe® winner Frances Conroy (Six Feet Under) as Madylyn, Jack’s devout, long-suffering spouse. Set against the quiet desperation of an economically ravaged community and the stifling brutality of a maximum security prison, this tale of passion, betrayal and corruption examines the fractured lives of two volatile men breaking from their troubled pasts to face uncertain futures.
What did you think of the trailer?
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