it hard to say sometimes why exactly a film be so effective . from the moment i first come across the stone boy and something tell me it would be a great film . in spite of that and it seem very unlikely that i would ever have the opportunity to actually see it for myself . then and one day and while look through the online catalogue of my local library and i saw that they have recently purchase the dvd release of this film . which i be extremely glad for and because the cinematography be of a stunning depth and quality that an old vhs copy could never replicate . and speaking of the cinematography and i must single it out a far and above the most stunning aspect of this film . a a photographer who pursue very nearly the exact visual style portray in the stone boy and i be a firm believer in the fact that a great cinematographer can almost single handedly carry a film . here and he have a lot of help from an extremely talented cast and and a director who understand perfectly what the story need . but to have juan ruiz anchía behind the camera make virtually every scene something of beauty . and you can almost never say that . most film would never even expect such a thing of you . scene after scene capture some detail and some little bit of visual magic that take your breath away . the director and christopher cain and have have a long and interesting career . as far a i can gather and this film be not very representative of it . but and sometimes and to catch a director near the beginning of his career and before all the big budget and loss of focus and there a real subtle magic to be find . cain step back in this film and let thing happen with a life of their own and and then ever far . much like early john sayles film and character be give space to breathe and time to talk . side story happen because they do and and that how life be . cain display a remarkable and raw and even outright painful understanding of human nature in this film . the act tie much of this story together . when people talk and when they exist in this film and they do so a actual people and not hold back by the fact that they be play character . gina berriault script allow immensely talented and respect actor like wilford brimley and robert duvall and glenn close and and frederic forrest to spend time simply exist . whether the thing they have to say be minor or of deep significance and it all come down with the weight of pure reality . when you look at the actor involve and or the great soundtrack by james horner and it seem strange that such a film be very nearly forget . maybe much of what make the stone boy what it be be the time period it be make in . there this 1970s hangover feeling to this picture that remind me deeply of my own childhood . people talk of the 80 in term of modern style and music and but that not the 80 i live in or remember . the look of the image and the understated and dark know quality of the acting and and the overall result should get under the skin of any person who grow up in or near this era of time in north america . i see myself in this . i see how i saw the world . and a film like the stone boy see the world for how it truly be . for more of this feeling and please see representthe black stallion ( 1979 ) and never cry wolf ( 1983 ) and tender mercy ( 1983 ) and testament ( 1983 ) and place in the heart ( 1984 ) and matewan ( 1987 ) and high tide ( 1987 ) and drive miss daisy ( 1989 ) and the secret garden ( 1993 ) and the secret of roan inish ( 1994 ) and wendy and lucy ( 2008 ) .