"They say the sound part comes first. They say, when you experience a spiritual truth, that it comes to you as a sound that goes through you, changes your vibration, gets you back in the harmony."

A convicted arsonist looks to manipulate a parole officer into a plan to secure his parole by placing his beautiful wife in the lawman's path. 

- Anonymous

The poster there says "A Psychological Duel". However Stone was much more than a duel between the two men, and it was much more than the summary right there. Of course that wraps up the story and the events rather easily, but there was more than what can be expressed via a short plot summary. If someone asks you what movie is about, the easiest way is to explain what happens, right? But all things do not really happen, they are not events, they might be ideas and thoughts. In Stone one of the most important element was the development of the characters and the idea of god, and if there is any, and how the characters searched for god or for something. 

The first scene of the movie is very "disconnected" from the movie. And even though it happened so much earlier than anything else, it gave the audience something important. We learn a lot about people when they are under very much, when they are about to die or lose something. In the first scene the main character's (played by Robert De Niro when he was older) wife tells him she's going to leave him, because she can't take it anymore. The wife, Madylyn, says "You keep my soul in a dungeon." And then Jack rushes up to the second floor and holds their daughter on the edge of the window and says, if Madylyn leaves, he will drop their daughter. And this scene is what our interpretation and stance on Jack will be based on for the rest of the movie. No matter what he does, you will keep that first scene in mind, especially when he's with his wife. And that first scene was a brilliant move from the writer. And this shows that no matter what, your past will be there. You can maybe grow from it, learn from it, but it will be there. This actually can be seen as one of the themes in the movie.

I really don't feel like going into detail with Jack's development, since that seemed to change the least, except maybe compared to Jack's wife. But then there's the convicted arsonist, Stone, who wants to get out of prison and is ready to do almost anything for it. This means also sending his wife to Jack and all that. Stone was almost desperate for getting out, so desperate he started to learn about religion - since many people find religion in prison. And he read the bit that I have on the title of the post right there, about the sound. And even though he at first only tried to get out, spiritual ideas changed him. At first he's a man who wants to get out of prison, and then suddenly he doesn't think it's that important any more, it felt like he would be fine with whatever decision people would come up with. Also his sanity would be at question during many scenes, I think it was wonderfully portrayed.

If there was one thing especially amazing in this movie, apart from extremely well written screenplay, excellent actors and a lot of chances for analysing and interpretation, it was the music. It was simple, but a bit hauntingly disturbing, which suited perfectly with the picture the audience sees. Music and the photography / cinematography of this film made the Stone an absolute piece of art rather than just simple entertainment.

Of course Stone was a tough movie, and partly difficult. It's one of those who need a lot of interpretation and several times of viewing. If you want a simple movie night, Stone is a bad choice for that. However if you want something more, something you admit you might not understand all the way through, then it's a perfect choice. 

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
9 / 10