I found "Stone" to be a profoundly compelling psychological drama but an eminently twisted one. Prison inmate Gerald 'Stone' Creeson and his wife Lucetta (Milla Jovovich) on the outside devise a devious plot to get him released from jail by preying on the emotions and guilt of parole officer Jack Mabry (Robert De Niro). That includes Lucetta seducing the willing lawman into a lurid affair, while her husband's sessions with Jack consistently force him to reevaluate his own life and some of the irrational and dangerous ways he used to control his own wife. An opening scene of the young Mabry couple reveals a troubled couple on the brink of separation, a time when Jack kept Madylyn Mabry (Frances Conroy) under his thumb by threatening the life of their young child.

Stone himself is no angel. His body language and street talk manner reveal a troubled past and a future that holds not much promise. In the early going, one knows that Stone is attempting to manipulate Mabry, but the man, only a month away from retirement, has pretty much seen every trick in the book employed by criminals to win early release. More successful is Stone's wife, who's persistence in arranging a personal meeting with Mabry eventually brings them together and into situations that the parole officer is uncomfortable with, but succumbs to as a result of Lucetta's seductive beauty and manner.

What one expects as the inevitable result of Lucetta's interference is that Jack eventually writes a proposal that recommends Stone for parole. The film's agenda in my opinion, demonstrates how conflicted Mabry is about his own personal feelings and beliefs. The question for him is whether he offered a favorable recommendation to the parole board based on his client's merits, or because of Lucetta's carnal pleasures. In attempting to come to grips with his wrenching indecision, Mabry seeks out a clergyman's assistance to find an answer to his existential questions about the meaning of life, but to no avail. Meanwhile, Stone himself dabbles in a dubious feel-good religion called Zukangor that arms him with more psycho-babble with which to intimidate Mabry into an early parole. At the film's conclusion, Stone does get the pardon he was striving for, but in retirement, Jack Mabry becomes a prisoner of his own tormented mind and soul, knowing in his heart he's every bit the miscreant his client ever was.

Jack Mabry (Robert De Niro) is a complicated man. As a young father, he hangs his daughter out the window to force his wife Madylyn (Frances Conroy) to stay. He has a few weeks before retirement as the prison parole eligibility officer. One of his last cases is Gerald 'Stone' Creeson (Edward Norton). He's combative but also demanding to get out early. He gets his wife Lucetta (Milla Jovovich) to seduce Mabry.

De Niro and Norton get a couple of interesting characters to work with. This seems to be set up for some great acting and intense character drama. I do like the interactions between the two leads. Jovovich is able to keep up. It stumbles here and there. I don't really get the mishmash of religion in this. I think this could have been award winning performances if the movie is better written.

This movie is about religious philosophy. If you are not into religious philosophy or seeing the raw sexuality of Milla Jovovich then go elsewhere. The movie asks questions about the seemingly contradiction of free will vs. God's will. If God has a master plan, then aren't our wrong doings part of it? If so, should we regret our sins?

In what appears to be a role reversal De Niro places a parole officer and Edward Norton a prisoner. Early on we find out that De Niro has some anger management problems. As a child he hit his brother in the head with a hammer and threatened to kill his daughter if his wife left him. He is the parole officer who judges people.

Norton plays a convict who started a fire to cover up a crime committed by his cousin. His nickname is "Stone." Stone, according to the new religion of Norton is the beginning phase of a soul. We all start out as stones and work our way up to humans as part of the eternal process. His simple questions and answers cause De Niro to think and examine his own life and religious belief.

Milla's religious views come out late in the movie, and they too have an effect on De Niro. Much of the movie consists of various conversations with very little action. The background radio chatter of a religion station sets the mood. If you know how to listen, God will talk to you. Sex, nudity, f-bomb and a few other expletives that surprised me.

Milla is extremely sensual in this film: Her eyes, raised eyebrow, lips, smile, mannerisms, nudity, and especially her whispers.