Le prix du mensonge

To sum-up: Stonebrook isn't anything new but I still found it interesting as it progressed. Brad Rowe plays a college loner who sort of befriends Seth Green and gets caught up in some small time crime that gradually blows up in his face in a big way. The plot twists were very "expectable" but still enjoyable all throughout the film.

Pro's & con's:

+ Good storyline with fitting character's

• It has the feel of a Television movie

Young Brad Rowe thinks he's fallen into some of what he's been shoveling for the past few years. He's a country kid who's lost the family farm to back taxes and been working on other people's land as a farm hand. A friend of his father's who is a big city cop, William Mesnik, got him into the expensive Ivy League school of Stonebrook and off he goes to the big city.

But the scholarship doesn't materialize and he has to pay his own way. But Rowe has a roommate in Seth Green who is both a computer hacker and a con artist. He gets Rowe into his schemes which start off with pool hustling. It goes quite a bit beyond that as the boys start ripping off money from the mob.

Poor Brad Rowe, cursed with the same first name and a general appearance that closely resembles the more well known Brad Pitt. I don't think Rowe's a bad actor, but apparently unless he's fated to be cast as a brother to Brad Pitt some day, Rowe will get all the roles that Pitt probably turns down.

On the other hand in his own quirky way, Seth Green has a lot of appeal and his part here generally fits in with the characters he's usually cast as. It's like Dr. Evil's son has decided to branch out on his own and enrolled at Stonebrook.

Stonebrook is not a bad film, but it has a way too many plot twists and turns and they're not introduced in a clever Hitchcockian type of way. Still it's not too bad and some will enjoy it.

Con games are fun and we often look at them and wonder who can be so dumb!?!! In STONEBROOK, there are a number of con games which fill the bill, and there is some tension and drama that builds in the process. Seth Green is slick and Brad Rowe does some good work. Along the way is a bit of moralizing. Is love more important than money?? STONEBROOK is a step away from being super, but it's not a bad way to while away a summer afternoon.

Co-writer, co-producer and director, Bryon W. Thompson, has created a very under-rated thriller. A story about a country boy (Rowe)who seeks a better life through the help of an old family friend (Mesnik). He applies to Stonebrook Uni, meets a beautiful girl (McLellan), as well as an eccentric room-mate(Green)who is in his own mind 'a very dangerous man'. Life is great, that's until he and his room-mate accidentally steals from a mob boss (Kamel). From here it's a rollercoaster ride full of unexpected twists. If the story doesn't sound interesting enough, wait til the underlying story unfolds. The performances are good. You believe every character. The direction is also good. There are many cut away reminiscing scenes (much like 'The Usual Suspects') that are needed due to the intricate plot. This allows the viewer to keep up with the story causing the plot twists to work more effectively. Good thriller. Not quite great. But if you like a thriller with a twist. I recommend you check it out.

While this independent film is flawed, it is nevertheless a gem and time worth spent. If you like suspense-yarns that don't spoon-feed you all the plot connections, you will have fun watching this one. On the other hand, if you need to have everything spelled out for you, this one may be a brain-struggle. Personally, I favor movies that let me do a bit of the work myself. But whatever camp you're in, I think you will ultimately walk away having enjoyed it.

Another reason to check this one out is Seth Green who, as always, is in top form. What I like about Seth is how he always brings flair and depth to his characterizations. He is a charming and talented actor, so I wish he had had more screen time. Brad Rowe is well suited as the farm boy lost in a big city, but his performance lacks dimension.

For those who haven't seen it, try not and read too much on this movie before seeing it. I've deliberately not delved into what the movie is all about here...you'll have fun finding that out yourself!