A small town is thrown into turmoil when four youths go on trial for a heinous crime against a neighboring Amish family. Many of the townspeople felt harassing the Amish for being different was merely harmless sport, but an idealistic young prosecutor brought charges for a hateful, intolerant act. The only witness against the criminals was a 7 year old girl whose father refused her entry into the trial on religious grounds which undermined almost all of the prosecutor's efforts at an indictment. Good film showing the stupidity of those with a superior attitude.
8 Reviews
An interesting re-creation of an actual event
steiner-sam21 June 2021
Warning: Spoilers
The film in set in the 1980s in North Carolina and recounts the story of harassment of a small Amish settlement, especially by teenagers. In this case, it involves the death of an infant Amish girl from a stone thrown at the buggy from a passing pickup truck. Although there was one Old Order Amish settlement in North Carolina when the film was made, it is based on a 1979 incident in Indiana.
The film begins by introducing us to the main characters. Jim Sandler (Ken Olin) is a Chicago lawyer who has moved back to the home area of his wife, Susan (Jill Eikenberry). He's building his local law practice and has been appointed a prosecutor to become better known. Sheriff Woodman (Gregg Henry) helps with the case.
The Amish family we follow includes Jacob Shuler (Ron Perlman), his wife, Sarah (Maureen Mueller), and children, especially Rachel (Olivia Burnette). Bishop Abe Moser (Theodore Bikel) also plays a role.
On the way home from a work bee on another Amish farm, Jacob's family is followed by a pickup truck holding four teens--two in the cab and two in the back. The two in the back throw stones at the buggy. After getting the horse under control, the family goes home thinking everyone is OK, only to discover the seven-month-old baby has been seriously injured. Jacob runs to a neighbor's to call the ambulance, but it's too late; the baby is dead. Rachel has had a clear look at the boys in the back that threw the stones.
The Sheriff and Jim try to get Jacob and Rachel to make statements, but Jacob refuses because the Amish won't go to the law. So what's done is done.
The film follows the Shulers' mourning process, including the burial. And Jim tries to make a case without the testimony of Rachel and Jacob. The four boys all plead innocent, though one of them, Teddy Johnson (Brad Pitt), who was in the cab feels guilty, but changes his story to say he didn't remember being on the road where the incident took place.
The town turns against Jim in defense of its young. He learns there is a long history of "claping" the Amish, i.e., harassing them while knowing there would be no retaliation. Jim tries to persuade the Bishop and Jacob that only prosecuting these perpetrators will stop the cycle of violence against them. Meanwhile, Jim's son gets in fights at school because Jim refuses to stop prosecuting the case.
At trial, the two stone-throwers are defended by Richard Baxter (Nicholas Pryor), a high-priced lawyer from Chicago. Baxter knows that Jim has no witnesses and mocks the charges. Jim reduces the charges slightly and makes one more effort to convince Jacob and Rachel to testify.
In the midst of the trial, Jacob and Rachel show up. During a break, the defendants change their pleas to guilty and are sentenced to 3-5 years with their sentences suspended. Jim is elected prosecutor, and claping the Amish stops.
This was an interesting re-creation of an actual event. As usual, some of the portrayals of the Amish were off. They sang way too fast in the cemetery and even a bit fast at the baptism service. Apparently, Jacob's children go to a public school on a school bus which is highly unusual. Most Old Order Amish by the 1980s had their own schools. Jacob references bundling (a courtship practice), though this has been stopped by most Old Order Amish groups. Although the Sheriff and Jim did talk with the Bishop, they did not stick with him as they should have. Some appropriate references were made to the Martyrs Mirror and two-kingdom theology. But the Bishop says one reason the Amish don't hold to the law is because they don't get justice from it. No self-respecting Amish Bishop would make that kind of argument. Amish always recognize the authority of the law, even if they believe their faith forces them to disobey it.
This was one of the earliest movies in which Brad Pitt had a movie credit. The Jill Eikenberry character initially opposes Jim's persistence and then suddenly changes to support with inadequate motivation, in my view. Jacob plays the fairly stereotypical rigid Amish father.
The film begins by introducing us to the main characters. Jim Sandler (Ken Olin) is a Chicago lawyer who has moved back to the home area of his wife, Susan (Jill Eikenberry). He's building his local law practice and has been appointed a prosecutor to become better known. Sheriff Woodman (Gregg Henry) helps with the case.
The Amish family we follow includes Jacob Shuler (Ron Perlman), his wife, Sarah (Maureen Mueller), and children, especially Rachel (Olivia Burnette). Bishop Abe Moser (Theodore Bikel) also plays a role.
On the way home from a work bee on another Amish farm, Jacob's family is followed by a pickup truck holding four teens--two in the cab and two in the back. The two in the back throw stones at the buggy. After getting the horse under control, the family goes home thinking everyone is OK, only to discover the seven-month-old baby has been seriously injured. Jacob runs to a neighbor's to call the ambulance, but it's too late; the baby is dead. Rachel has had a clear look at the boys in the back that threw the stones.
The Sheriff and Jim try to get Jacob and Rachel to make statements, but Jacob refuses because the Amish won't go to the law. So what's done is done.
The film follows the Shulers' mourning process, including the burial. And Jim tries to make a case without the testimony of Rachel and Jacob. The four boys all plead innocent, though one of them, Teddy Johnson (Brad Pitt), who was in the cab feels guilty, but changes his story to say he didn't remember being on the road where the incident took place.
The town turns against Jim in defense of its young. He learns there is a long history of "claping" the Amish, i.e., harassing them while knowing there would be no retaliation. Jim tries to persuade the Bishop and Jacob that only prosecuting these perpetrators will stop the cycle of violence against them. Meanwhile, Jim's son gets in fights at school because Jim refuses to stop prosecuting the case.
At trial, the two stone-throwers are defended by Richard Baxter (Nicholas Pryor), a high-priced lawyer from Chicago. Baxter knows that Jim has no witnesses and mocks the charges. Jim reduces the charges slightly and makes one more effort to convince Jacob and Rachel to testify.
In the midst of the trial, Jacob and Rachel show up. During a break, the defendants change their pleas to guilty and are sentenced to 3-5 years with their sentences suspended. Jim is elected prosecutor, and claping the Amish stops.
This was an interesting re-creation of an actual event. As usual, some of the portrayals of the Amish were off. They sang way too fast in the cemetery and even a bit fast at the baptism service. Apparently, Jacob's children go to a public school on a school bus which is highly unusual. Most Old Order Amish by the 1980s had their own schools. Jacob references bundling (a courtship practice), though this has been stopped by most Old Order Amish groups. Although the Sheriff and Jim did talk with the Bishop, they did not stick with him as they should have. Some appropriate references were made to the Martyrs Mirror and two-kingdom theology. But the Bishop says one reason the Amish don't hold to the law is because they don't get justice from it. No self-respecting Amish Bishop would make that kind of argument. Amish always recognize the authority of the law, even if they believe their faith forces them to disobey it.
This was one of the earliest movies in which Brad Pitt had a movie credit. The Jill Eikenberry character initially opposes Jim's persistence and then suddenly changes to support with inadequate motivation, in my view. Jacob plays the fairly stereotypical rigid Amish father.
A Snooze Fest In Fulham County
JohnGaultProSe11 August 2019
Excellent, Sensitive Telling Of An All-Too-Often Story
Orren4 January 2013
I feel I must speak about this film with more heart than I see in some comments. I do not believe the plot summary comment should be allowed to go unchallenged in its short vision.
This film is beautifully written, constructed, cast and acted. The pace, photography, color, soundtrack, costumes and sets all move with depth, nuance and a continuity remarkably faithful to the pace and way of idealized Amish country life. The film presents the Amish not as characters in a melodrama, but rather spreads out the entire Fulham County Community in the complexity of a spiritual, ethical parable — without preaching, or judging, or trivializing the deep human values at odds in an incident, which becomes a crime, which becomes a complex balance of "relative rights and wrongs," — which the film is scrupulously careful to articulate in terse dialog, exceptional acting, and sincere beauty.
This film has become a trivia footnote in Brad Pitt's filmography, since it is one of his earliest performances. It deserves to be elevated from footnote to Exceptional Acting by a Juvenile. His performance is brief, heart-breaking, and some of the best work he has ever done. Likewise those who know Ron Perlman only as a "heavy" character actor will marvel at the finely graduated and sincere beauty of his revelation of the heart of Job. By the time the film concludes, truth and amity prevail notwithstanding tragedy, there are no shallow winners or losers, and Life itself is the summary memory. Some film buffs may perhaps muse to themselves that they have been touched like this, with this power and restraint, in only one other film: "To Kill A Mockingbird."
This film is beautifully written, constructed, cast and acted. The pace, photography, color, soundtrack, costumes and sets all move with depth, nuance and a continuity remarkably faithful to the pace and way of idealized Amish country life. The film presents the Amish not as characters in a melodrama, but rather spreads out the entire Fulham County Community in the complexity of a spiritual, ethical parable — without preaching, or judging, or trivializing the deep human values at odds in an incident, which becomes a crime, which becomes a complex balance of "relative rights and wrongs," — which the film is scrupulously careful to articulate in terse dialog, exceptional acting, and sincere beauty.
This film has become a trivia footnote in Brad Pitt's filmography, since it is one of his earliest performances. It deserves to be elevated from footnote to Exceptional Acting by a Juvenile. His performance is brief, heart-breaking, and some of the best work he has ever done. Likewise those who know Ron Perlman only as a "heavy" character actor will marvel at the finely graduated and sincere beauty of his revelation of the heart of Job. By the time the film concludes, truth and amity prevail notwithstanding tragedy, there are no shallow winners or losers, and Life itself is the summary memory. Some film buffs may perhaps muse to themselves that they have been touched like this, with this power and restraint, in only one other film: "To Kill A Mockingbird."
old-school exploration of the 'human condition'
richardolivermcrae11 January 2024
This is not a sensational movie, nor a cinematic work of art. It is instead a highly moral made-for-TV movie exploring what was, not so long ago, known as 'the human condition' - in the tradition of Steinbeck and Hemingway.
Its grounded in profound, 3000 year old Judeo-Christian content - about selfish, and conversely altruistic people within a community. This, and the somber subject, require considerable nuance from the actors, most especially Maureen Mueller and Ron Perlman as the beleaguered Amish couple.
Its very comparable to the 1985, Harrison Ford movie Witness; indeed a worthwhile study! Both share a common subject, but dramatically diverge on what they do with it. Witness is undoubtedly a higher quality cinematic movie; but A Stoning is a much more profound exploration of humanity. If Witness panders to box-office cliche, A Stoning preaches; and I would posit there's a meaningful place for both.
So if you enjoy unabashed moral debate, and you enjoy watching actors reaching for and achieving exceptional depth of character (in the British vein of 'thespians') perhaps your will enjoy this film.
A Stoning in Fulham County is highly recommended for educated, religious, and socially engaged movie viewers more interested in the human experience than fantasy. And for families - to share and discuss with their children about the good and the bad of this world, about craven mediocrity and exceptional individuals of integrity.
Its grounded in profound, 3000 year old Judeo-Christian content - about selfish, and conversely altruistic people within a community. This, and the somber subject, require considerable nuance from the actors, most especially Maureen Mueller and Ron Perlman as the beleaguered Amish couple.
Its very comparable to the 1985, Harrison Ford movie Witness; indeed a worthwhile study! Both share a common subject, but dramatically diverge on what they do with it. Witness is undoubtedly a higher quality cinematic movie; but A Stoning is a much more profound exploration of humanity. If Witness panders to box-office cliche, A Stoning preaches; and I would posit there's a meaningful place for both.
So if you enjoy unabashed moral debate, and you enjoy watching actors reaching for and achieving exceptional depth of character (in the British vein of 'thespians') perhaps your will enjoy this film.
A Stoning in Fulham County is highly recommended for educated, religious, and socially engaged movie viewers more interested in the human experience than fantasy. And for families - to share and discuss with their children about the good and the bad of this world, about craven mediocrity and exceptional individuals of integrity.
When worlds collide.
mark.waltz30 August 2022
Warning: Spoilers
A disturbing view of a type of hate crime that probably doesn't get discussed simply because of the community it deals with, living their lives away from the modern world and limited interaction past kids in cars waving at Amish families in buggies out of amazement. In this case, young men are acting worse than children, tossing rocks at the Amish as they mind their business going by, discovering too late that a rock has struck and killed a newborn Amish infant.
The impatience of people in cars "inconvenienced" by being behind a buggy expresses further disrespect, and the result is a TV film based on a true incident that really forces the audience to look at the world around them and the severe injustices that result from harassment, something that this North Carolina community has accepted as normal behavior. Idealistic attorney Ken Olin is determined to prosecute, but the Amish family sticks to the theory of turning the other cheek, and it's going to take a lot of justice to prevail for Olin to get a conviction in a bigoted community.
Jill Eikenberry, Greg Henry, Nicholas Pryor, Ron Pearlman and Maureen Mueller (as the grieving parents) and Olivia Burnette as their older daughter give very good performances, aided by a screenplay that creates genuine conflict for Olin. There's also a nice cameo by stage and screen veteran Theodore Bikel that makes a major impact. This exposes the hypocrisy of so called civilized communities, truly making a point when Olin is confronted by a local politician and his wife whose faces totally change when they are asked how they'd feel if it was their child who was killed by "kids just acting out on a joyride". Once again society faces judgment for hatred against what they don't understand or respect, and there's only one verdict that can be considered just and affect change.
The impatience of people in cars "inconvenienced" by being behind a buggy expresses further disrespect, and the result is a TV film based on a true incident that really forces the audience to look at the world around them and the severe injustices that result from harassment, something that this North Carolina community has accepted as normal behavior. Idealistic attorney Ken Olin is determined to prosecute, but the Amish family sticks to the theory of turning the other cheek, and it's going to take a lot of justice to prevail for Olin to get a conviction in a bigoted community.
Jill Eikenberry, Greg Henry, Nicholas Pryor, Ron Pearlman and Maureen Mueller (as the grieving parents) and Olivia Burnette as their older daughter give very good performances, aided by a screenplay that creates genuine conflict for Olin. There's also a nice cameo by stage and screen veteran Theodore Bikel that makes a major impact. This exposes the hypocrisy of so called civilized communities, truly making a point when Olin is confronted by a local politician and his wife whose faces totally change when they are asked how they'd feel if it was their child who was killed by "kids just acting out on a joyride". Once again society faces judgment for hatred against what they don't understand or respect, and there's only one verdict that can be considered just and affect change.
The Truth
spheckma3 August 2012
Warning: Spoilers
I have mix feelings about this movie as it does tell about how the Amish are willing to use devices such as others telephones and be driven in others cars. This only touches on the exemptions they make to their religion, so I believe that the Amish need to decide to stick to the beliefs completely and not, when necessary they use modern means. Also, I find in a modern world with cars a trucks have not place on the road with the buggies they use. It's a danger to them. To this end perhaps they need to keep COMPLETELY to themselves, but wound it be a shame if we couldn't learn the great things these people have to teach. In the movie when the stones are throw by much more that prank loving youth they are throw at Amish buggies, traveling at night by victious, victious youth who in the film seem not to care that they have killed a small child. I do believe, should the Amish decide to cast away all modern things, then they need to do that and they need to keep themselves out of danger by keeping off the roads, but then on the other hand perhaps we who use bikes and run on public roads and make rules that dogs must be on leashes should be banned from the roadways as well as these thing are dangerous to all of them. When the day came that we accepted that these sort of youth should be allowed to get away with one such incident then the rest of us should hang our heads in shame. So, how about, buggies and runner/joggers, bikers and dogs be kept of the public roads to keep them and all safe.
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