# Stone Boy, The (1984)

### reviewed by
Brian Koller

    The Stone Boy (1984)

    Grade: 75

Grief is a terrible thing. It saps your energy, your motivation, your focus and even your feelings. Grief is still worse when mixed with guilt: not only must you deal with the loss, but also with the fact that it is you who is responsible. And if you are also a minor, it is worse still, as you are unable to change your environment and must face the blame and loss every day.

Twelve year old Arnold Hillerman (Jason Presson) lives on a farm in Montana with his brother Eugene (Dean Cain), sister Nora (Susan Blackstone) and parents Joe (Robert Duvall) and Ruth (Glenn Close). A freak hunting accident leaves Eugene dead and Arnold responsible. The family must get through not only their grief, but also their buried resentment against Arnold. Arnold, feeling shunned, is unable to express his grief and guilt to the degree his parents expect.

Arnold moves in with this gentle, wise grandfather (Wilford Brimley). Meanwhile, Eugene's girlfriend Amalie (Cindy Fisher) becomes involved with Ruth's brother Andy (Frederic Forrest). Since Andy is married to Lu (Gail Youngs), this leads to the disintegration of their marriage. Linda Hamilton has a small role as a bus passenger.

The script was based on a short story by Gina Berriault, who also co-wrote the screenplay. Dean Cain (Eugene) is the son of the director, Christopher Cain, while Gail Youngs was Duvall's wife at the time of filming.

"The Stone Boy" is slow at times, with the film's sad tone interrupted only by Forrest's abrasive, bullying character. At one point, Arnold runs away from home to visit Reno, Nevada: nobody even considers calling the police. Still, "The Stone Boy" is well cast and succeeds as a tearjerker, without manipulative characters or plot.

kollers@mpsi.net http://members.tripod.com/~Brian_Koller/movies.html

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