if you gave this movie more than 2 stars you have no clue to what a good movie is. what a total wast of time. not worth the power to run the t.v.

Stone is confusing. Not in a hard to follow like Inception kind of way, but why does this movie even exist kind of way. On the surface you would think it would make some big or profound statement about our prison system with Robert DeNiro playing a correctional officer overseeing to his final case involving the parole of Edward Norton who was in there for arson that killed his grandparents. Things get complicated when Milla Jovovich shows up as Norton's wife.None of the three characters are at all likeable as they intertwine, making no rooting interest in what happens next. By the time the movie starts to pick up near the end, there is a twist that just left me asking the screen, "why even bother?" Stone just completely goes nowhere. It tries to be some sort psychological thriller but forgot to include any actual thrills in the movie. If there was some deep subtext or meaning to Stone, it completely went over my head.

I expected so much more from reading the other reviews. I love all the actors and they do a great job but the story just isn't that good. A Super let down all around.

I think this was a brilliant film -- a deep, thoughtful, poetically-directed tome on the unanswerable spiritual questions of life and a probing, disturbing snapshot of the current state of the American soul -- all wrapped up in the guise of a neo-"post-American greatness" psychological film noir. Led by a brilliant Edward Norton and a revitalized Robert De Niro, the acting performances were excellent across the board. It is a sign of the dreary state of American cinema, art and culture in general that a film of this exceptional caliber is not receiving the accolades and appreciation that it should. I think that in time it will be regarded as a great overlooked piece of cinematic excellence -- perhaps even a masterpiece.

This movie is never sure what it wants to be, jailhouse romp? Affair between old man and younger slutty woman? Thriller? It never really fits any of these and never completes it's promise. It's starts out interestingly enough, De Niro and Nortan have an interesting dynamic as prospective parolee and his officer (De Niro). Then it kind of convults as Norton tries to set up De Niro with Norton's Wife (Milla Jovovich). At this point it gets very hazy as De Niro and Jovovich descend into an affair with strange co dependancy. While DeNiro's Wife sits at home wringing her hands. It just kind of drones along without much resolution, then tries to tie it all together with vague references to Norton's troubled past as a youth. Really just kind of a mess and convoluted.

3 great actors, and what seemed to be an interesting story could've been very compelling, intense, nail biting and such, but was not. This movie just seemed to lost its grittyness or anything within first 20 minutes of the movie. The actualy hook-up seemed too easy and IMO the movie had no climax, no wrap-up, no ending. Steer away from this one. I hope I've been somewhat helpful..-Cam