honestly and i find this film almost too depress for my own good . it be very depressing until pretty much the very end . there be no way i can justify pass judgement to any character who do thing i do not like ( well and except for the disgusting character play by fredrick forrest ) . but it still so frustrating to see people behave this way and put up wall around themselves when just a word or so could break the ice and promote healing . a horrible tragedy strike a montana family . they believe they have lose one son and but it turn out they have lose 2. the key be and if they just communicate and face their grief together and they would not end up lose their second son permanently . but they just can not . something be block this family from share their sorrow . some family retreat into silence and resentment while certain others point finger of blame ( and then go ahead and cheat on their poor pregnant wife by seduce the pretty girlfriend of the decease . that andy character truly be a snake . ) the only member of the family that isn not threaten arnold in some way be his grandpa ( wilford brimley ) . grandpa seem to be able to speak to the boy without judgement or even kid glove . he seem to know what the child be think about even though arnold isn not say much these day . it be truly a blessing for the poor kid to have that one someone he can turn to . no one else seem to grasp the fact that arnold might be in shock and in denial and or that his way of grieve may not be the same style and or at the same speed and a they would expect . it so easy to judge and to be angry and to feel someone be make of stone just because they do not grieve in a way we believe they ought . the story be very quiet and naturalistic . youre not go to get some spoon feed narration or some hollywood feel good resolution . i be very concern by the fact that this child be so burdened with guilt that he felt it necessary to hitchhike several hundred mile to apologize to that piggy andy wife and for something he should not blame himself for . arnold may have accidentally kill his brother and but nobody be responsible for the end of that marriage and which apparently be a lousy one anyway and except for the two people in the marriage . it only dumb luck arnold do not get into the car with a pedophile or a murderer . robert duvall and glenn close be frustratingly effective a the parent who somehow can not find it in themselves to communicate with their son and to find out what arnold be go through . jason presson and whom i have not see anywhere else except for a childhood favorite call explorer and a creepy ghost story call the lady in white and do an incredible job a arnold and a great performance from a child actor . aside from be somewhat slow at time and the stone boy be an excellent and and very depressing movie .