richardolivermcrae

This is not a sensational movie, nor a cinematic work of art. It is instead a highly moral made-for-TV movie exploring what was, not so long ago, known as 'the human condition' - in the tradition of Steinbeck and Hemingway.

Its grounded in profound, 3000 year old Judeo-Christian content - about selfish, and conversely altruistic people within a community. This, and the somber subject, require considerable nuance from the actors, most especially Maureen Mueller and Ron Perlman as the beleaguered Amish couple.

Its very comparable to the 1985, Harrison Ford movie Witness; indeed a worthwhile study! Both share a common subject, but dramatically diverge on what they do with it. Witness is undoubtedly a higher quality cinematic movie; but A Stoning is a much more profound exploration of humanity. If Witness panders to box-office cliche, A Stoning preaches; and I would posit there's a meaningful place for both.

So if you enjoy unabashed moral debate, and you enjoy watching actors reaching for and achieving exceptional depth of character (in the British vein of 'thespians') perhaps your will enjoy this film.

A Stoning in Fulham County is highly recommended for educated, religious, and socially engaged movie viewers more interested in the human experience than fantasy. And for families - to share and discuss with their children about the good and the bad of this world, about craven mediocrity and exceptional individuals of integrity.

Paltrow and Eckhart get star billing, but the film belongs wholly to Jeremy Northam and Jennifer Ehle. Their's is a lush, tender, tragic, Victorian romance - bracketed by a clumsy, contrived modern relationship. The period drama is a real portfolio piece - superlative acting, sets, costume, camera and editing; its up there with the best of British literary drama. Northam and Ehle are archetypal - eternal! The surrounding modern story of sleuthing scholars however falls far short: the actors fail utterly to capture the academic authority of their characters and the ambiance of questing intellectual research - the camera work, the sets are great, but the actors are cardboard. Too bad! Ultimately its LaBute's failing for not eliciting solid performances. (Gwyneth Paltrow in Proof however powerfully delivers as a tortured math genius.)

It goes nowhere, says nothing.

Extraordinary, fascinating things happen without meaning or purpose, and then its over.

Welcome to the brave new world of deconstructionist postmodernism. Magnificent Nothing.