The Stone Boy

1984
PG
1h 31m

IMDb RATING

YOUR RATING

A Midwestern farm family faces major emotional adjustment after a tragedy results in the death of an older brother.A Midwestern farm family faces major emotional adjustment after a tragedy results in the death of an older brother.A Midwestern farm family faces major emotional adjustment after a tragedy results in the death of an older brother.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.5/10

863

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 2 nominations total

User reviews17

Featured review

9/10

a quiet, realistic, well acted and written family drama

I had seen this film way back in the 80's and had nearly forgotten it when I noticed it was on tv again and watched it. I remembered having liked this little sleeper when I first saw it, and I liked it even better on second viewing.

All of the actors, especially Robert Duvall, Glenn Close, Wilfred Brimley, Frederic Forrest, and Jason Presson (as the twelve-year-old boy who feels responsible for the accidental shooting death of his older brother), are superb. The film has a very genuine feel to it--an understated, quiet, deeply moving story of a family aching with grief. The dialogue is sparse but telling, and the nonverbal acting is outstanding. Sort of like a simpler, rural version of Ordinary People sans psychiatrist but equally impressive family dynamics.

The Stone Boy is well worth the time and emotional energy involved in watching it.

robertedward
Aug 16, 2003
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Storyline

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Trivia
Robert Duvall and Frederic Forrest have also both appeared in Conversation secrète (1974), Apocalypse Now (1979), Lonesome Dove (1989), Chute libre (1993) and the documentary Aux coeurs des ténèbres - l'apocalypse d'un metteur en scène (1991).

Goofs
When Nora and George talk at the fence, Nora's arm is on the fence when seen from behind, while from the front, she is swinging her arm.

Quotes
Andy Jansen: Days are years and years are days when it comes to sorrow. There ain't no such thing as time. It's the way it is.

Alternate versions
One ending to this movie had the boy reuniting with his father by quietly slipping up next to him at the county fair, another ending had the boy reunited with his parents when they found him distraught by the loud banging of fireworks at the county fair, reminding him of the death of his brother.