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Stoned

Stoned

The story of the original Rolling Stone

2005102 minRMidcredits score: 29th percentile of all films
Director
Stephen Woolley
Starring
Leo Gregory, Paddy Considine, David Morrissey, Ben Whishaw

A chronicle of the sordid life and suspicious death of Rolling Stones co-founder Brian Jones, who was found in the bottom of his swimming pool weeks after being let go from the band.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Stoned?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Stoned to rent or buy on Apple TV, and on no subscription service.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Stoned?

Stoned earns 6 badges, led by Before they were famous and Haunting.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Content
  • Cast

Reception

Is Stoned worth watching?

Stoned's Midcredits score is the 29th percentile of all films, from 5.8K ratings across 6 sources. 35% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

29th percentile

Better received than 29% of films

8th percentile among Biography28th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)29th
Approval (how many liked it)30th

55 /100

29th percentile of all films

8th percentile among Biography29th percentile among 2000s

Critics 41 · Audience 57

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 5.8 — solid but not unanimous.

35% liked it

30th percentile of all films

9th percentile among Biography28th percentile among 2000s
35% rated it 7–1065% rated it 1–6

Critics 16% · Audience 44%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 0 wins / 3 noms overall

Reach

How many have seen it

65th percentile

5.8K ratings across platforms

42nd percentile among Biography57th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 3% in 30 days

Box office

Opening weekend$15K
Domestic gross$39K
Worldwide gross$187K

18th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

The film is more about Brian Jones's final months and his relationship with builder Frank Thorogood than a full-band Rolling Stones biopic, with a heavy focus on drug-fueled decadence.

Fans praised

  • Authentic era recreation and period detail
  • Strong central performances, particularly Paddy Considine
  • Engaging focus on the Jones-Thorogood relationship

Detractors panned

  • Flat, clichéd script with hackneyed symbolism
  • Absence of original Rolling Stones music
  • Superficial characterization of Brian Jones

What stands out

AtmosphereDivisive65

Authentic 1960s re-creation praised; some find it forced

ActingDivisive62

Paddy Considine praised as compelling; Leo Gregory deemed uneven, sometimes unconvincing

CinematographyDivisive60

Stylish use of multiple film stocks and vintage cameras; sometimes overdone

PacingDivisive45

Action rattles along for some, but drags and feels boring to detractors

Plot and storyDivisive42

Non-linear structure handled adequately but aimless and slow

CharactersDivisive38

Jones portrayed as unsympathetic, shallow; Thorogood underwritten

Sound and musicDivisive30

No original Stones songs; cover versions and anachronistic tracks jar

Originality30

Derivative of Performance and other rock biopics; clichéd tropes

Preferred by

US vs non-US

Preferred by Non-US Viewers

Non-US viewers scored it 10 points higher than US viewers.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 3 points apart

Watch experience

What is Stoned like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Dark and unsettling: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want something dark that stays with you.

It is intense and leaves you haunted. Skip it when you want an easy night.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings.

What it feels like

Dark and unsettling.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseMelancholicDread
Heaviest: late
Register
Melodramatic · 9% of films: Heightened emotion, played large.Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.
Told as
Nonlinear · 6% of films: Events shown out of chronological order.
ToneThe film presents Jones's destructive lifestyle with admiration and horror, playing it straight despite the sensational material.
The rideThe film maintains a tense, mournful atmosphere, culminating in Jones's death, with swings between decadent highs and dark lows.
StructureThe story uses flashbacks and intercut contemporary scenes to depict Brian Jones's last days, creating a nonlinear narrative.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Haunted.

The answer rests on this: Haunting · 14% of filmsBittersweet
Why it leaves you this wayThe film's depiction of Brian Jones's decline and mysterious death lingers, leaving a melancholic and unresolved feeling.
How it ends · evidence
Tragic endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Tragedy
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9% (this title): Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% (this title) · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Tragedy: A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin. · Corruption arc: Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).

9% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeThe film traces Brian Jones's descent from Rolling Stones founder to drug-addled recluse, making tragedy the central arc.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfIdentitySelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22% (this title): Identity 14% (this title) · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% (this title) · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% (this title) · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Self

Identity · 14% of filmsAddiction · 1% of filmsFame · 3% of films
Observes its theme: Presents its theme neutrally, declining to judge.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film interrogates how fame and addiction dissolve a person's sense of self, focusing on Brian Jones's disintegration and the envy of an outsider.
StanceThe film observes Brian Jones's decline without overt moralizing, presenting the tragedy of his life and death.

The world

Mid 20th centuryDomesticUrbanRealistic
RockOrchestral classicalSupportive music · hybrid · David Arnold
SettingThe British rock scene of the 1960s, centered on Brian Jones's estate and the Stones' world.
MusicThe film features period rock music alongside Arnold's score to evoke the 60s atmosphere.

Content guide

Is Stoned okay for kids?

R

Stoned is rated R: “Rated R for drug use, sexuality, nudity and language” (MPAA). As of August 31, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (67/100), sexual content at severe (83/100), language at moderate (50/100), drug and alcohol content at severe (100/100) and frightening material at intense (67/100). Its violence, language, drug and alcohol content and frightening material have too few votes to rank.

Overall
Intense · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Intense
too few votes to rank (2 votes)
Sex & Nudity
Severe
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 98%
Profanity
Moderate
too few votes to rank (2 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
Severe
too few votes to rank (2 votes)
Frightening / Intense
Intense
too few votes to rank (2 votes)

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Too few votes to rank this title overall (24 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Stoned have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Stoned?

Cast

Leo Gregory
as Brian Jones
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Paddy Considine
as Frank Thorogood
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
David Morrissey
as Tom Keylock
Ben Whishaw
as Keith Richards
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
newcomer then · star now
Tuva Novotny
as Anna Wohlin
Amelia Warner
as Janet
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Monet Mazur
as Anita Pallenberg
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.
Luke de Woolfson
as Mick Jagger
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
David Walliams
as Accountant
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Ralph Brown
as Gysin

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Stoned?

Movies like Stoned include Nowhere Boy (2009), I Shot Andy Warhol (1996) and 'Round Midnight (1986). Of the 12 closest matches, several are stories about musicians, and several are corruption arc stories.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

4 of these 12 share its subject: addiction. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Stoned?

220 other films share the rarest tag below, relationship: master and servant. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.