Surprisingly incoherent and boring

hyped garbage

Don't listen to the negative reviews

This is a tender, generous movie that likes its characters and presents them as real people, full of flaws and strengths.

Marvin (Dylan Baker) and his wife Doris (Sheila McCarthy) are trying to send his mother Hagar Shipley (Ellen Burstyn) to a nursing home. Hagar had signed over her house to her son and he has lost it all declaring bankruptcy. She runs away to her old childhood home. The movie flashes back to her life in the small town. Her mother had died giving birth to her brother Matt. Her father brought over a stone angel for her mother's grave. They're the rich family of the community. Her prideful father owns the local store and she has acquired lots of the same attitude. She picks on Lottie for being a bastard child. Her poor farmer husband Bram Shipley (Cole Hauser) becomes a drunk. Her father leaves all of his money to the town. She walks out on Bram to be a live-in maid taking her younger son John (Kevin Zegers). John dates Lottie's daughter Arlene (Ellen Page) and she disapproves.Ellen Burstyn is powerful in her role but the younger actors can't quite measure up. Christine Horne doesn't have the same boldness playing Hagar. Also there is simply too much story to fit into a simple movie. It feels more like highlights of a life rather than an in-depth character study. Any power in the movie comes mainly from Ellen Burstyn and the big secret at the end. The movie just doesn't have enough to lift up this personal epic.

While researching a long road trip along the Yellowhead Route in Canada recently, I discovered the existence of Margaret Laurence's books (Canada's most famous female author). I located "The Stone Angel" book online -- and could NOT put it down! Next I traveled to Neepawa, Manitoba, and visited Margaret's actual house, where I purchased four more of her books. Finally, just this morning I watched "The Stone Angel" DVD. Everybody in the movie did an excellent job, especially Ellen Burstyn, and for the most part the movie stayed true to the book. I loved it.Next, I read "The Bear Came Over the Mountain" by another of Canada's famous female authors, Alice Munro. They made an excellent movie from this short story entitled "Away From Her", starring Julie Christie. You won't go wrong in checking this one out as well!

The back of the DVD box says Ellen Page co-stars in this movie. She does not even appear until two thirds of the movie is over and then its in minor role. I don't consider it a supporting role either, but rather a "bit" part. Also the plot has many unexplained elements. Some examples are: why does the main character reject her oldest son? Why does her youngest son drive head on into the train? He says its for a "sucker" bet which doesn't explain anything. Obviously the screenwriter doesn't know the definition of a sucker bet. This film is not worthy of the rental price in my opinion. Save your money and view it for free on TV if you think it needs to be seen.

I saw the movie recently and really liked it. I surprised myself and cried. This movie is in the same niche genre as "Away from Her" - or even "The Bucket List" but handles the whole aging theme with incredible authenticity. It's really really tough to have the main character as unlikable as Hagar. The director does a masterful job with the challenge. Hagar's hard to understand. Her world has hard edges and she isn't a warm endearing woman at all.The first scene gets this across without any compromise. Hagar (Ellen Burnstyn) is being taken to a nursing home by her son and daughter-in-law. She figures it out en-route and freaks out. Her edges are really hard. She is mean. She is belittling and selfish. She is a stone. I didn't like her - not even a little bit.Throughout the course of the movie, we get insight. We find out why she doesn't like petunias, why she favors one son over the other, how her losses have formed her character... I started to see the angel... and I started to like her. I especially liked her when she poured out her secrets to the boy in the shack. Ellen Burnstyn, you are a brilliant actor. Kudos. Kudos. Kudos. What a scene!This isn't a "feel good" movie, but it is certainly a movie that brings the viewer to empathy. I understand more clearly that hard edges in a person's life are there to protect, they are there for a reason...Hagar isn't my mother - she isn't even my mother-in-law or neighbor... but parts of her are present in many women (and men) in my life. Those parts somehow make more sense to me now that I've watched The Stone Angel.