A few nights ago I was watching TV with my girlfriend when a trailer for the new film The Stone Angel came on. My mind raced during that thirty second slot. I began to feel angry that somebody had remade this awful movie. Admittedly, I occasionally get stone and cement confused; this is why I lasted only one summer as a masonry apprentice. Somehow I had mistaken it for ‘The Cement Garden’ by smarmy englishman Ian Mcewan. This was a book that, to put it mildly, I didn’t love. After reading it I threw it from the window of a moving bus. Don’t worry, crap is biodegradable.

While replaying the story in my head, trying to remember what I disliked about it so much, my girlfriend suddenly blurted out, “I read that book.”
“You did?” I replied, thinking, ‘Why would she read a book about incestuous siblings and dead parents encased in cement slabs? That wouldn’t appeal to her…or would it? Is there something I don’t know? Is somebody buried in our basement? Who is this stranger, is she armed?!?
“Yeah, I read it in school. I don’t remember anything about the story except that it was written by Margaret Lawrence.”
“Margaret Lawrence? She’s Canadian!”
A wave of relief rolled over me as I acknowledged my error. I’m 98% sure she doesn’t own a gun, and in retrospect, we don’t even have a basement.

You know this will be a good film because book was powerful enough to be banned by religious zealots…although those are the same folks who were offended by Ernie and Bert. It stars Ellen Burstyn, a very powerful and accomplished actor. If you’re not familiar with her work you should stop reading right now, run to the video store and rent everything she’s been a part of. After her performance in ‘Requiem for a Dream’ I still think of her as a hopeless drug addict. I’m sure this would please her immensely.

Unlike her role in Requiem, I’m pretty sure this flick won’t make you want to swan dive from the 18th floor.

Happier Times?