STOLEN (STOLEN LIVES)

US, 2009, 91 minutes. Colour.
Jon Hamm, Josh Lucas, Rhona Mitra, James Van Der Beek, Jessica Chastain, Joanna Cassidy, Jimmy Bennett, Graham Phillips.
Directed by Anders Anderson.

Stolen (Stolen Lives) had the working title The Boy in the Box. It is based on a story about a murder of a child in 1957. However, this is a film which works in two time frames, the present where a detective (Jon Hamm in a rather grim, even glum, performance) has been investigating the abduction of his son ten years earlier. When a body is discovered, it is assumed that it is the detective’s son. However, it is the body of a boy who has been dead for fifty years. This leads to the story in 1958.

In the 1958 story, which is more interesting than that of the present, Josh Lucas is a farmer whose property has been taken over by the banks, whose wife, mentally disturbed after the birth of their third child, has hanged herself. He goes to live with relations who can tend only to two of his sons. He takes the third, mentally impaired, with him on a worksite. He also disappears and is murdered.

In the supporting cast are Rhona Mitra as the modern day detective’s wife, grieving about the death of her son, the marriage almost breaking. James Van Der Beek appears as the friend of Josh Lucas in the earlier story, a co-worker. Jimmy Bennett portrays the young son, Graham Phillips is very good as his older brother. Jessica Chastain (Tree of Life) has a cameo as a waitress and Joanna Cassidy appears as Jon Hamm’s mother.

The elements of the story hold great interest, but at the end, they seem rather slight, especially in the treatment of the contemporary story, though it has a satisfying resolution. While the other story is interesting, there is very little resolution at the time. However, a film of some interest and worth discussing about the effect of abduction on parents as well as the danger of sexual predators.

1. The theme of abduction, child abuse, murder? Audience reaction to these themes?

2. The ordinary US, the present, the detective, home life, investigations? 1958, farms, working sites? The musical score?

3. The introduction of the 1950s story, then the intercutting between the two time periods?

4. The 2009 story, the focus on Tom, the long contemplation of his face, his anguish, the interrogation by the police, his memories, the visualising of the outing with his son, his love for his boy, the boy’s disappearance, the fun fair, the man on stilts? The sense of loss? Barbara and her relationship with her husband? The grief? Her strength of character? The search for the boy? Her going to the graveside with her husband?

5. The prisoner, his guilt in abducting and killing other children, his refusal to confess about the murder of Tom’s boy, Tom’s anger with him? The confrontation?

6. 1958, Matthew and the discussion with the banks, the foreclosure, his wife hanging herself, his work on the farm, with his three boys, the Gospel names? His participation in the funeral, decision to go to the relatives?

7. The three young boys, the Gospel names, their good manners, their support of their father? The encounter with the waitress and her kindness?

8. The offer of the family, father and sons driving, at the diner, the waitress, the family, around the table, the stories of the past, the difficulty of John’s birth, his mother’s mental deterioration?

9. The father of the family, saying that he could keep only two of the children? Matthew’s anger? John and his bond with his father?

10. Matthew, the work, the worksite, his friends? Swede? Diploma? John at the workplace, sleeping? His father supporting him? The relationship with the women, the affair, the wife, the possibility for a future?

11. John and his life, his love for his father, on the site, forbidden – disappearing?

12. The character of Diploma, his friendship with Matthew? His pleading his cause?

13. The murderer in 2009, Roggiani? Tom and his challenging him?

14. The confession, his having killed John, doing it out of support for Matthew who couldn’t kill his son? His killing other children? Abducting Tom’s son, burying him under the tree? The tree, Tom and Barbara going to it? Grief for their son? The possibility of reconciliation?

15. The various titles? The sadness – but hope with Tom and Barbara being able to rebuild their lives?