"Fire in the Stone" is another coming of age story set in the gold mines of Australia and it's a fairly decent movie. Paul Smith stars as Ernie Ryan who discovers the mother load, but can only carry back $500 dollars of gold in his shoes. Ernie soon realizes that the rest of his gold was stolen, which prompts him to join forces with Robbie (Alan Cassell) and Sophie (Linda Hartley) in order to recover the stolen treasure. They embark on a series of amateurish adventures, which will amuse children more than adults, that culminate in a dramatic climax.
While "Fire in the Stone" is not a great film, it does have its charms. Paul Smith, Alan Cassell, and Linda Hartley all succeed in creating likable, warm characters who can hold our interest. The film also gets something else right: the romantic relationship between Ernie and Sophie is a lot more mature than the depictions of teen relationships in most films. Lastly, the troubled relations between Ernie and his father are another good element in this film, made possible by capable acting. If "Fire in the Stone" is not more than a likable picture, this is partly because the plot is not as interesting as it could be and partly because the film seems to have been made on a shoestring budget.
While "Fire in the Stone" is not a great film, it does have its charms. Paul Smith, Alan Cassell, and Linda Hartley all succeed in creating likable, warm characters who can hold our interest. The film also gets something else right: the romantic relationship between Ernie and Sophie is a lot more mature than the depictions of teen relationships in most films. Lastly, the troubled relations between Ernie and his father are another good element in this film, made possible by capable acting. If "Fire in the Stone" is not more than a likable picture, this is partly because the plot is not as interesting as it could be and partly because the film seems to have been made on a shoestring budget.