A Stoning in Fulham County

I feel I must speak about this film with more heart than I see in some comments. I do not believe the plot summary comment should be allowed to go unchallenged in its short vision.

This film is beautifully written, constructed, cast and acted. The pace, photography, color, soundtrack, costumes and sets all move with depth, nuance and a continuity remarkably faithful to the pace and way of idealized Amish country life. The film presents the Amish not as characters in a melodrama, but rather spreads out the entire Fulham County Community in the complexity of a spiritual, ethical parable — without preaching, or judging, or trivializing the deep human values at odds in an incident, which becomes a crime, which becomes a complex balance of "relative rights and wrongs," — which the film is scrupulously careful to articulate in terse dialog, exceptional acting, and sincere beauty.

This film has become a trivia footnote in Brad Pitt's filmography, since it is one of his earliest performances. It deserves to be elevated from footnote to Exceptional Acting by a Juvenile. His performance is brief, heart-breaking, and some of the best work he has ever done. Likewise those who know Ron Perlman only as a "heavy" character actor will marvel at the finely graduated and sincere beauty of his revelation of the heart of Job. By the time the film concludes, truth and amity prevail notwithstanding tragedy, there are no shallow winners or losers, and Life itself is the summary memory. Some film buffs may perhaps muse to themselves that they have been touched like this, with this power and restraint, in only one other film: "To Kill A Mockingbird."

A small town is thrown into turmoil when four youths go on trial for a heinous crime against a neighboring Amish family. Many of the townspeople felt harassing the Amish for being different was merely harmless sport, but an idealistic young prosecutor brought charges for a hateful, intolerant act. The only witness against the criminals was a 7 year old girl whose father refused her entry into the trial on religious grounds which undermined almost all of the prosecutor's efforts at an indictment. Good film showing the stupidity of those with a superior attitude.

This was painfully boring. I fast-forwarded through most of it. I can't think of anything else to say about it. Skip past this one.

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.