***SPOILERS*** In what seems like a replay of his role as Adam Stampler in the 1996 thriller "Primal Fear" Edward Norton, no relations to Ed Norton of the 1950's "The Honeymooners" TV series, plays convicted arsonist Gerald "Stone" Creeson who's now up for parole after serving 8 of his 10 to 15 year sentence. Creeson's parole Officer Jack Mabry, Robert De Niro, is about to put in his retirement papers and this is just, that's what he thinks, another menial case for him as he goes through the motions in processing it. As things turn out this nothing of a case will end up screwing up Mabry's life big time! In it bringing out all the skeletons he's been hiding in his closet for the last 40 some years.
Creeson at first giving no intentions to parole officer Mabry that he's interested in being released soon starts to change his mind when he presses a few of his buttons about his shoddy and forbidden past. Knowing that Mabey has far bigger problems then he does Creeson starts to dig deep into his troubled life that makes the whole parole hearing about himself totally insignificant! It's now Mabry that's on the hot seat not convicted arsonist Creeson and what's even worse Mabry knows it! Getting his child like and very sexy wife Lucette, Milla Jovovich, involved Creeson opens up an two front attack on the clueless Mabry who, despite his some 40 years experience as a parole officer, naively falls for it!
It's when Mabry gets romantically involved with Lucette that her imprisoned husband Gerald, who's insists on being called Stone, finally gets the goods on him. Having sex with the wife of a man that he's to judge if he's eligible for parole or not is a big "No No" in the prison system and that's exactly what the not so bright Mabry has been doing! It can not only get him fired and lose his pension but thrown behind bars as well! Finally knowing that he's been had Mabry has no choice but to recommend Creeson's parole in him feeling that he's not really ready to be free in a society that he so skillfully manipulated both in as well as behind bars!
***SPOILERS*** There's still more to this movie then what you've already seen in how Jack Mabry's life as well as abused wife Madlyn, Frances Conroy, completely go up in flames. Madlyn a church going bible toter loses it and starts to swear like a drunken sailor out on shore leave. And later, even though it's not exactly proved,sets the house on fire feeling that it's the Lords work to punish both her and her husband Jack! As for Jack Marby he also completely loses it and tried to get even with Cresson, who's now out on parole, by cornering him in a dark alley and trying to blow his brains out! As we see it's Mabry who needs help, serious psychiatric help, not Gerald "Stone' Creeson who's now a completely rehabilitated law abiding citizen. But all that at the expense of the total mental breakdown of his now committable parole officer, as well as his wife Madlyn , Jack Mabry!
Creeson at first giving no intentions to parole officer Mabry that he's interested in being released soon starts to change his mind when he presses a few of his buttons about his shoddy and forbidden past. Knowing that Mabey has far bigger problems then he does Creeson starts to dig deep into his troubled life that makes the whole parole hearing about himself totally insignificant! It's now Mabry that's on the hot seat not convicted arsonist Creeson and what's even worse Mabry knows it! Getting his child like and very sexy wife Lucette, Milla Jovovich, involved Creeson opens up an two front attack on the clueless Mabry who, despite his some 40 years experience as a parole officer, naively falls for it!
It's when Mabry gets romantically involved with Lucette that her imprisoned husband Gerald, who's insists on being called Stone, finally gets the goods on him. Having sex with the wife of a man that he's to judge if he's eligible for parole or not is a big "No No" in the prison system and that's exactly what the not so bright Mabry has been doing! It can not only get him fired and lose his pension but thrown behind bars as well! Finally knowing that he's been had Mabry has no choice but to recommend Creeson's parole in him feeling that he's not really ready to be free in a society that he so skillfully manipulated both in as well as behind bars!
***SPOILERS*** There's still more to this movie then what you've already seen in how Jack Mabry's life as well as abused wife Madlyn, Frances Conroy, completely go up in flames. Madlyn a church going bible toter loses it and starts to swear like a drunken sailor out on shore leave. And later, even though it's not exactly proved,sets the house on fire feeling that it's the Lords work to punish both her and her husband Jack! As for Jack Marby he also completely loses it and tried to get even with Cresson, who's now out on parole, by cornering him in a dark alley and trying to blow his brains out! As we see it's Mabry who needs help, serious psychiatric help, not Gerald "Stone' Creeson who's now a completely rehabilitated law abiding citizen. But all that at the expense of the total mental breakdown of his now committable parole officer, as well as his wife Madlyn , Jack Mabry!