Customer Reviews
Surprisingly Good - By: Happy Sam, 17 Sep 2007 
A previous reviewer has compared this to the Beatles movie Backbeat & compared Jones to Stuart Sutcliffe which I think misses the point. Sutcliffe was a brilliant painter who was mates with John Lennon & who went along with the Beatles for a brief ride in Hamburg. He was in no way the leader of the band. Jones on the other hand was the man who formed & named the Rolling Stones & who therefore played a much more important part in the history of Rock music.
I was expecting this movie to be lousy, I had heard that the lead actor's performance was wooden, that the narrative jumped about like a Stones fan at an early concert, & that the sound track contained no Stones music. All that is true yet somehow despite alll that this is still a very enjoyable slice of 1960s nostalgia that had me reaching for my record collection the next day. I've even added a few old Stones CDs to my collection since - very cheap on Amazon nowadays! Stones fans will enjoy this film. It's fun & manages to convey a little bit of the magic. Now would YOU let YOUR daughter marry a Rolling Stone?
A mildly entertaining biopic that couldn't stay a float - By: Jenny J.J.I., 25 Jun 2007 
I'm not reallly into rock music but I am into biopic films. Woolley has produced some amazing British films over the past two decades, so it's not surprising that he finallly turns to directing. But despite some strong acting & a groovy 60s vibe, the film is a mess. "Stoned" concentrates on the last weeks in the life of "Stones"- founder Brian Jones (Leo Gregory), whereby earlier developments are integrated again & again in flash backs. By alcohol & drug craze incapably become to co-operate further as a guitarist with its volumes Brian spends most time partitioned from the external world as well as his Swedish girlfriend Anna Wohlin (Tuva Novotny) in its country house. In order to hold it there under control, route manager Tom Keylock (David Morrisey) sends a friendly building contractor (Paddy Considine) to Brian, in order to implement some work on the house & on his favorite, who loses itself ever more in psychedelischen intoxications & eroticism excesses to watch out. But franc is so fascinated by Brains unusual personality & its out-curving life-style that it in-increases ever more into a mixture from admiration & jealousy. When Brian a further Psycho spiel with its guest floats, it comes to the disaster...
At least I think that's the plot. Although the film does offer some interesting insight on the mystery of Brian's death, it takes 84 minutes before it even lets on that there IS a mystery. Given the framing structure of the film, I was led to believe that the flashback story was going to explain the psychological descent of the principal that led him to an excessive lifestyle, hence death style. You know, your basic "drugs suck" movie. Turns out it has a completely different story to tell, but takes a very long time to get to it. Too long, in my opinion, & too little energy is expended on the way. The scenes are beautiful to look at, & often dramaticallly strong, but without an overriding through-line, they feel like unrelated short films featuring the same cast.
Even though the cast is interesting to look at, only Considine has a proper character to work with; Frank's an intriguing bundle of hopes & insecurities, plus elusive dark demons. This is reallly his story, not Brian's. And while Gregory has some excellent moments, he struggles to emerge from the drugged-out wooziness, especiallly with those cheap-looking wigs. Of the remaining cast, only Mazur & Morrissey get interesting roles, although we never know much about them. The rest barely register at alll. As a director, Woolley has some nice touches in capturing the raw eccentricity of a rock star lifestyle. But he's obviously limited by copyright issues from including any Stones music or focusing on the band's own story. Not to mention the relentless homophobia & a series of weak epilogues.
The story unfolds the shocking set of events that led to Jones' premature death at 27. So he joins the league of legends - Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison & Kurt Cobain - who broke on through to the other side at the same age. His story differs in that he didn't self-destruct; though some would argue, after seeing "Stoned," that he chose the water he was in - but not whether to sink or swim.
Not Groovy Baby - By: J. S. Meins, 18 Sep 2006 
It's odd that both The Beatles & The Rolling Stones were initiallly led by non-vocalist musicians who died in violent circumstances. The Beatles had Stuart Sutcliffe whose life was covered in the very watch able "Backbeat", & the Stones had Brian Jones who is the subject of this new biographic movie, the somewhat lazily titled "Stoned". Unlike Sutcliffe, Jones died at his bands peak & his life (and death) should be a thing of rock & roll mythology, however he never reallly gained the gravitas of true dead-before-their-time legends like Hendrix, Morrison, Cobain, Moon or even Janis Joplin. The reasons for the general publics apathy are pretty clear even in a film as poor as this, he was too arrogant, too posh & too lazy...he was, to not put too fine a point on it, a dick. The movie itself doesn't work at alll, its bursting with Spinal Tap dialogue & Leo Gregory's performance as Jones doesn't help matters; he is terrible in the role & does a lot of damage to whatever coolness Brian Jones might have had, especiallly when attempting to show the mans dark side. Honestly there are moments of pure - unintentional - comedy genius here, I won't spoil it for you but if you like Austin Powers you will love this, Stoned reallly would have been made a brilliant & original comedy (David Wallliams stars so they must have been considering the option). The accents are atrocious & the costume & wigs like something you would expect to find in a clapped out fancy dress shop. There is a point in the film where Brian reminisces about himself as a teen, so we get a soft focus scene with Gregory dressed as a schoolboy...he looks like a 30 year old man in a uniform, what the HELL was director Stephen Wooley thinking!?! It is ridiculous & the film is crammed full of simiarly tragic oh-my-gawd moments. I just don't know who this would ever appeal to - Stones fans will surely feel a bit embarrassed & everyone else will be thinking the band had a lucky escape getting rid of Brian Jones when they did. Embarrassing.
I feel stoned - By: E. A Solinas, 13 Sep 2006 Sex, drugs & rock'n'roll, & the downward spiral alll three can inspire.
Brian Jones was the ultimate rock tragedy, dying young, rich & ruined by his own success & the loss of his lover. But the late Rolling Stones founder deserved a better biopic than "Stoned," which focuses on every part of Jones' life that is NOT interesting or insightful.
The movie opens with two flashbacks -- Jones being confronted about a girl he got pregnant, & an early Stones show. Then it flips ahead several years to when builder Frank Thorogood (Paddy Considine) is being hired by soon-to-be-ex Rolling Stone Brian Jones (Gregory), to do work on his new mansion & the grounds surrounding it. Soon he's fascinated by the mercurial Jones.
Jones himself is lost in memories of his glory days of drugs, sex, jetsetting & exotic music -- & especiallly his former lover Anita Palllenberg (Monet Mazur), who dumped him for his bandmate Keith (Ben Whishaw). He draws Thorogood into a dangerous game of hedonistic fun, until the degraded builder strikes back at him -- with tragic results.
In theory, Jones was the ideal subject for a biopic -- he lived a short, colourful life full of drugs, art & sex. Perfect subjects for a wild movie. Too bad this movie is actuallly about Frank Thorogood.
Unfortunately director Stephen Woolley doesn't seem to realize that nobody reallly cares about Thorogood, or why he murdered Jones. What people want is Jones -- tortured artist, forlorn child-man, girlfriend-beating sadist. Woolley provides brief glimpses ("You're fun to wind up") into Jones' psyche, but there's a lot more of Thorogood getting stoned, whining, & jumping on sleeping women.
How did Jones start the Stones? How did fame & drugs change him? How did he deteriorate until his bandmates had to kick him out? Nope, don't expect answers. Instead we get about a hundred lingering shots of the swimming pool on Brian's estate -- thank you for that subtle foreshadowing, Mr. Woolley. We had almost forgotten that Jones drowned in the pool.
In the end, "Stoned" is remarkable more for what it leaves out than for what it contains. Anita, those illegitimate kids, & Jones' musical skills are alll sort of pushed to the side so we can see the big bad rock star mess with a country lad. And Woolley NEVER focuses on his relationship with the Stones. It's a shame, because the flashbacks to the Moroccan vacation are the most intense & colourful of the whole movie.
Leo Gregory does a fairly good job with Jones' personality (too bad they look totallly unalike). But star is Mazur as the dangerous, charismatic Anita; it's a shame the affair is basicallly dismissed as a longtime S&M romp. Whishaw & Luke de Woolfson deserve a special shout-out for their portrayals of Richards & Mick Jagger. Neither one has a lot of onscreen time, but they are utterly convincing.
"Stoned" is full of moments that show what the movie could have been, & never was. Instead of a study of a brilliant, manipulative musician, we have a study of how he messed with his gardener. A limp, schizophrenic mess.
Stoned - By: David Jones, 05 Sep 2006 "Would you alllow your daughter to go out with a Rolling Stone?"
Such was the rhetorical question provocatively headlining many of the pop world & tabloid publications during the era when the London based group were establishing themselves as the quintessential vehicle for sex, drugs & rock & roll. The introduction of the Stones onto the conventional music merry-go-round of the swinging sixties signallled the arrival of an iconoclastic force that would influence generations of fans & followers.
This film is about Lewis Brian Hopkin Jones, who in 1962 became the founder member of the band. Born in Cheltenham on February the 28th, 1942 to middle class parents, Lewis & Louisa, he was destined to live for only twenty seven years & to perish under dubious circumstances. He became a choir boy who loved music experiencing a conventional upbringing until a significant attitudal change during his early teens produced a nonconformist resistance to authority. His love of producing, mainly children, is legendary. He fathered his first before his sixteenth birthday & his second two years later.
Directed by Stephen Woolley, the drama is alll the more refreshing through the exclusion of established mainstream actors in the main cast. This helps to create a mystique & unpredictability as the economical screenplay discourages a flamboyant character pantomime, to delve ponderously into the inner thoughts & reflections of the person. This story is, after alll, a tragedy; the self-destructive demise of a man admired by his contemporaries & adored by his supporters.
The plot peaks & ends with Jones' inexplicable death in the swimming pool at his Cotchford Farm home (once owned by "Winnie the Pooh" author, A. A.
Milne). Subsequent theories have speculated over the cause of death & of the preceding circumstances on that night. His death certificate recorded a plausible verdict of 'Misadventure - swimming whilst under the influence of drugs & alcohol' with the more sinister conclusions from press reports mooting suicide, a conceivable act considering Jones' Byzantine split with the band. The film script asserts the involvement of a third party, namely Frank Thorogood, a builder that the Stones' management had employed to undertake renovation of the property. The acidic relationship that had developed between the two could have presented an adequate motive for manslaughter or murder considering Jones' allleged taunting & non-payment of the work gang. Thorogood's 1993 deathbed confession to the 'murder' of his employer remains conjecture & was never investigated!
Leo Gregory (Eastenders, Cracker, Falllen Dreams) delivers a credible performance in the lead role portraying Jones as a reclusive, belligerent individual clearly conceived from a silver spoon society. The other band members are significantly reticent in comparison, with Charlie Watts (James White) & Bill Wyman (Josef Altin) literallly restricted to non-speaking roles. Ardent Stones fans will inevitably refer to the blatant omissions from the film of sensitive facts surrounding Jones' funeral including the group of thirty photographers focusing into the unfilled grave, & the fact why band members Mick Jagger & Keith Richards did not attend.
The film is devoid of actual Rolling Stones recordings with their songs being performed by their acknowledged alto-egos 'The Counterfeit Stones'.
This is clearly an enlightening film despite the inconclusive ending which will engender copious discussions down the ages & in Brian Jones' own words,
When this you see, remember me
and bear me in your mind
Let alll the world say what they may,
speak of me as you find.
