Raul Faust
Let me start writing this review stating how much I enjoyed this movie. The subject involving a father and two young kids is an interesting subject to me, given that I adore this kind of relationship. Joe Warr is a father who has to take care of two young kids, who don't feel like helping him at all. Most of the time these kids are confronting him-- specially Harry. Sometimes it feels like writers of this movie are too mean to the poor daddy; sometimes the kid is the one who does the wrong thing, but the father is the one penalized all the time. For instance, in one scene Harry tells Joe he can go to work in peace, because Harry would take care of the house and his brother. However, he allows some punks coming in the house, and they end up destroying everything. In the end, Harry gets really MAD with his father, even thought he is the one who made a mistake. For this reason sometimes I think writers are too cruel to the main character. The scene in the airport, when Joe kept screaming the name of his youngest son, I thought "No, the little kid can't be dead, that would be TOO evil for a simple movie". Fortunately, I was right; the little kid was just talking to Harry, who was coming back to their house. I admit that in the last scenes, when the three guys were driving a car in the desert, I missed when I was younger and spent more time with my parents, which made me (nearly) cry. All in all, "The Boys Are Back" is a simple movie, but due to it's involving storyline, it is very professional in doing what it promises. Recommended.
edendadi
To begin with, I hate drama movies. Only movies I like are comedy and action, maybe some adventure. But this movie.. has touched my heart. Maybe because of the fact that it simply reflects my life, piece by piece. The opening scene, at the beach.. I used to do that with my father back when I was young. My mom also passed away and I have a little brother. My dad is a widow. This movie made me cry because I sympathize with it so much. This film is just so real. I really have no words to describe how real and authentic this movie is. From Clive Owen's acting, even to young Nicholas (who portrays the role of his youngest son, Artie)acting skills, this movie is just brilliant. In some place it even brought some peace to my heart. I really rarely cry and rarely let movies get to me. But this.. this movie deserves an Oscar.Anybody who doesn't see this film is a fool.
drpakmanrains
If you have read any of my other reviews you will know I like movies about families adjusting to problems, and this one was no exception. The film stars Clive Owen, mainly an action star previously, in a domestic role based on a memoir by Simon Carr, and directed by Scott Hicks, probably best known for "Shine". As others have noted, the story concerns a soon to be widower having to deal with being a father to his 6 year old son, played brilliantly by Nicholas McAnulty, and further into the film, his early teen son from a previous marriage who comes to stay with him in Australia from England. He is played by George Mackay, who outshines everyone including Clive Owen, who received Oscar buzz for his performance. The situations are not that unusual, nor are the happenings. What makes the film more than standard fare are the excellent performances and the literate script and fine direction. I found the first 30 minutes rather sad and depressing, and even a bit slow, but from the time the older son enters, the movie takes off, and by the end I felt I was watching a great film. Some of the reviewers complained that it wasn't believable, but it is based on true events from a memoir. Others may have been expecting more "action", and dislike movies about relatively ordinary people facing the ordinary problems that so many of us may encounter, with no easy solutions. Had the movie been a little tighter in its editing, particularly in the early scenes, I would have given it a 10, but it is definitely a must-see if you, like me, find the majority of Hollywood mass entertainment movies a waste of time, and prefer heartfelt honest reality, rather than a lot of violence, raunchiness, and profanity.
pc95
(spoilers)Well written, acted, and directed, caught "The Boys are Back" on a recent plane flight. It stood out as the best movie on the flight. This movie gets it right in how people and especially men and boys respond to loss and grieving. The dialog and situations are believable and the action and reactions of the loss are well founded. I particularly liked all the energy and pent up emotion that comes out with Owen and young actors Mackay (whom I mistakenly thought was the Harry Potter chap) and Nicholas McNulty as Arty. Owen is distraught and imagining his wife talking at his side as an obvious coping mechanism while equally trying to find his way with the boys - great direction by Scott Hicks who sets up scenes adapting from a novel well focusing on countenances. Recommended competent drama. Only drawback is the stubborness of Owen's character which sometimes seems forced
AD
