A Stone’s Throw

Though well acted and competently directed, A Stone’s Throw suffers from an oddly detached vibe that ultimately cements the film’s status as a sporadically intriguing but mostly interminable piece of work. Kris Holden-Reid stars as Jack Walker, an American photojournalist who arrives at his sister’s Nova Scotia home after an absence of many years. Though he quickly bonds with his nephew and starts a tentative relationship with a local schoolteacher (played by Lisa Ray), Jack soon finds himself forced to confront the demons of his mysterious past. Writer/director Camelia Frieberg infuses A Stone’s Throw with an exceedingly deliberate pace that admittedly sets a very specific mood, but without any real entry point into the film’s story, there’s virtually nothing here to hold the viewer’s interest. The inclusion of several undeniably melodramatic elements surely doesn’t help matters, and there’s simply no overlooking the distinct lack of authenticity within Frieberg’s screenplay. It’s a shame, really, given that Holden-Reid has long-since established himself as one of Canada’s most talented up-and-coming performers (he surely deserves better than this).

*1/2 out of ****