"The Stone Boy" is very well acted (after all, it stars the likes of Robert Duvall, Glynn Close and Wilfred Brimley)..however, it's far from being a crowd pleaser. This is because the film is extremely depressing and it's not the type film most folks would want to watch. This certainly would help to explain the film's horrendous box office return...and it was almost immediately pulled from theaters and placed on video.
The story is about a family's reaction to the accidental death of the oldest son. It seems he and his younger brother were going out hunting and the gun accidentally discharged...killing him instantly. But the reactions are not just the surviving son's but the entire family. It reveals that there were certainly some problems pre-existing in the family. The story has a very stark look with little incidental music.
Overall, an unpleasant film with some very fine acting...and it's a movie you might want to avoid if you are dealing with depression or family crises of your own.
By the way, if you are looking for a great film dealing with some similar themes, try "Ordinary People"...it's really a great, great film and really deserved the Oscar it received for Best Picture.
