Stone
Dir: John Curran
2010
***
John Curran's version of Angus MacLachlan's stage play Stone (later converted by MacLachlan into a screenplay) is a brilliant essay on contrast and comparison. Inmate vs Warden, Patient vs. Therapist, Good vs. Bad, Faith vs. Truth. It's pretty successful too when dealing with each issue. Both Robert De Niro and Edward Norton play characters that they don't typically play, which works well at giving the film a slightly alternative feel. The beauty is in the script though, the character development is fast but never forced and always believable, even though the cast is made up of stereotypes and truly original characters - again, it's a film of contrasts. It is refreshing but only to a point, the excitement peaks at the beginning of the film, the tension and suspense working at full throttle at first but then dies down towards the end. The conclusion is original but for me personally, I found it a little disappointing and a missed opportunity. I also thought Frances Conroy's character could have played more part in the story, she's a brilliant actor and I wanted to see more of her.