Stones

Alexander McKay is relaunching his career as a singer songwriter when his girlfriend, Jen, sick of his excessive drinking, throws him out. He winds up on the street, homeless and hung over, but is offered a lifeline when an old friend, Rachel, lets him sleep in her flower shop van and try to get his life back on track. At first it seems as though Alex might take the chance he's been given, write some songs, and take advantage of a new gig playing at a prestigious club which could also secure him a recording deal. But Alex can't get over Jen, fantasizes about her as the perfect woman, and little by little the drinking takes over. Eventually he is booed off stage because he's too drunk to remember the words of his own songs, forcing his new manager to dump him. When Alex sees Jen with one of his friends it is the final straw, and he tries to drown himself, only to be saved by a passing jogger. Rachel reads him the riot act, reveals her own alcoholic past, and gets Alex to start attending AA meetings. Alex and Rachel become closer and closer as she helps him get his life in order and write the songs that he has been struggling with, but on their way home from AA one night Alex sees Jen and makes Rachel follow her home. Now that he knows where Jen lives, Alex is determined to make one last effort to win her back. Despite her feelings for Alex, Rachel helps him, even prepares a beautiful bunch of flowers for him to give to Jen. At the last minute Alex realizes that it is Rachel he loves, presents the flowers to Rachel, and asks her for a date. Laughing, Rachel agrees - as long as they both drink fruit juice! A bittersweet combination of comedy, drama, and music, Stones will evoke both tears and laughter as Alex battles to save his career and, ultimately, his life. —Don Macnab-Stark