Raining Stones

Raining Stones

Year: 1993

Runtime: 90 mins

Language: English

Director: Ken Loach

CrimeDrama

Bob, a proud but impoverished father, is determined to buy a costly new dress for his daughter’s First Communion. His stubborn pride drives him to increasingly dubious schemes to raise the money. As his desperation deepens, he jeopardizes his family, his conscience and even his soul, turning a heartfelt wish into a tragic quest that threatens everything he loves.

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Timeline & Setting – Raining Stones (1993)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Raining Stones (1993). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Early 1990s recession in England

The narrative sits in a period of persistent unemployment and austerity, where families juggle tight finances and precarious work. Money is scarce and every expense is weighed against the risk of violence or destitution. Community rituals, such as church services and family celebrations, provide brief respite amid ongoing financial strain.

Location

England, working-class town

The story unfolds in a working-class English town during a crushing recession, with everyday life centered in streets, bars, homes and a local church. Unemployment and debt shape the rhythms of daily existence, pushing people toward makeshift schemes just to survive. Public spaces like the bar, the church and the neighborhood streets act as stages for struggle, solidarity and moral choices.

🏘️ Working-class setting 💷 Economic hardship ⛪ Community institutions

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 19:42

Main Characters – Raining Stones (1993)

Meet the key characters of Raining Stones (1993), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Bob (Bruce Jones)

A desperate, proud family man who turns to various schemes to make ends meet as unemployment bites. His escalating risk-taking culminates in killing the loan shark, leaving him tormented by guilt and seeking redemption through confession and prayer.

🧱 Working-class 💸 Debt 🤔 Moral Dilemma

Anne (Julie Brown)

Bob's wife who attempts to help despite losing her job and lacking marketable skills. She faces fear and strain as debt grows and the threat of violence looms, embodying resilience in hard times.

👩 Family 💼 Struggles 😟 Anxiety

Tommy (Ricky Tomlinson)

Bob's best friend who participates in the risky schemes, providing camaraderie amid desperation. His choices reflect how social ties can pull people into destructive cycles during economic hardship.

🤝 Friendship 🌀 Desperation

Coleen (Gemma Phoenix)

Bob and Anne's daughter, the focus of their desire to give her a normal, joyful life. Her First Communion testifies to family hopes and the contrast between innocence and adult turmoil.

👧 Family 🎀 Innocence

Father Barry (Tom Hickey)

The parish priest who counsels Bob after the killing, advocating forgiveness and urging him not to surrender to the law. He embodies compassion and pragmatic community healing.

🙏 Religion 🕊️ Compassion

Loan Shark

The ruthless creditor who extorts debt, steals Anne's jewelry and terrorizes the family. He personifies predatory lending and the fear that accompanies financial desperation.

💰 Predatory Lending 😨 Fear

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 19:42

Major Themes – Raining Stones (1993)

Explore the central themes of Raining Stones (1993), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🌧️ Poverty

Economic desperation drives the characters to take risky steps to earn money, from theft to exploiting credit. The constant pressure of debt shapes decisions and pushes moral boundaries. The film examines how scarcity can corrode security and push people toward questionable choices.

🤝 Community

Neighbors, clergy and family members form a fragile support network in a hostile economic climate. The church and local solidarity offer moments of relief and forgiveness, illustrating how communal ties can buffer individuals against economic collapse. Even in tension, people look out for one another.

⚖️ Moral Conflict

Bob's act of violence against the loan shark triggers a moral reckoning about survival, law, and responsibility. The narrative probes whether personal salvation can coexist with social law, and how guilt and repentance play into the quest for peace of mind. The church's response highlights the tension between justice, mercy and redemption.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 19:42

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Movies about desperate poverty and moral dilemmas like Raining Stones

Where economic desperation forces moral compromises and tragic consequences.For viewers who appreciated the raw economic struggle in Raining Stones, this section features movies like it. These stories focus on characters whose desperation leads them down dark paths, exploring the heavy emotional and moral costs of survival in a gritty, unforgiving world.

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Narrative Summary

Stories in this thread follow a linear, downward spiral where a character's initial, often noble, goal is corrupted by the grim realities of their economic situation. The plot is typically straightforward, chronicling a series of escalating, desperate acts that build tension and deepen the character's moral crisis, often leading to a bittersweet or bleak resolution.

Why These Movies?

These films are grouped by their central theme of economic hardship as a primary antagonist. They share a heavy emotional weight, a dark tone, and a focus on the internal and external conflicts born from financial desperation, creating a consistently somber and anxious viewing experience.

Gritty social realist dramas with moral weight like Raining Stones

Unflinching portraits of everyday people confronting harsh social and ethical dilemmas.If you liked the authentic, grounded feel and moral complexity of Raining Stones, explore these similar movies. These social realist dramas depict ordinary people in difficult circumstances, featuring a steady pace, a dark tone, and a focus on the heavy consequences of their choices.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern involves a focused, character-centric plot set within a recognizable, often bleak, social environment. The conflict arises from the collision between personal values—like pride, family duty, or integrity—and the oppressive forces of their social and economic reality, leading to a crisis that tests their very being.

Why These Movies?

These movies share a specific cinematic approach: a gritty, naturalistic aesthetic, a steady pacing that builds tension through realism, and a dark tone stemming from serious themes like class conflict and moral compromise. They prioritize emotional authenticity over plot complexity.

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Raining Stones Summary

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Raining Stones Summary

Raining Stones Timeline

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Raining Stones Timeline

Raining Stones Spoiler-Free Summary

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Raining Stones Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Raining Stones

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