SYNOPSIS
Eric (Andrew Garfield) is a young man who has just been released from prison. His mentor (Peter Mullan) helps him through readjusting. He renames himself Jack, as people in his position give themselves a new name for personal safety reasons. He also gets a job, friends, and, eventually, a girlfriend. But when being a good Samaritan exposes him to a bit of public scrutiny, his carefully-planned fresh start begins to crumble around him.
CRITIQUE
Small or so-called indie dramas have an entrenched reputation as being of higher quality than most of the films that the Hollywood studios produce. Recently, the major independent studios have become arms of the big Hollywood companies, but there is one exception. The early independent stalwart Miramax was run by the Weinstein brothers, but they created their own new company after Miramax was absorbed by Disney. The Weinstein Company has begun like Miramax, with small releases. This film is one of them. Boy A is a stunning, memorable drama, with an engrossing plot and wonderful performances.
New story territory in films is difficult to come by but this film manages to do just that. Every day, new and horrible crimes fill newscasts on many television stations and we all rejoice when the culprits are caught. What if some of those people were less culpable than we’d like to think? What happens when they resume their lives after repaying their debt to society? Those are the questions this film leaves in the mind of the viewer long after the final frame. The true high point of this script is the way it clearly lays out how Jack found himself in the situation he did as a boy, how his friend became the kind of person capable of what he did, and how all of that effects him now, as an adult. The intercutting of the past with the present adeptly handles this. Related to this, the editing is such that the climaxes of both what is happening in both time periods both occur at the end of the film. Also, I usually hate ambiguous endings, but the one here works well. It feels more appropriate than such endings usually do.
The cast is another area where this film impresses. Garfield, as the adult Jack, is excellent. His shy glances show a guy too starved for friendship that he can’t choose them well most of the time or summon the strength to object when things go wrong. He also has a very funny sequence where he dances under the influence of a drug his new friends have given him without his knowledge. Mullan is an actor who deserves a larger presence in films, as evidenced by his steady strength here. Thought-provoking and emotional, the story of Boy A is complimented wonderfully by strong performances.
THE VIDEO
Widescreen, as usual, is the format for this disc and it remains the optimum choice for home viewing. A small film like this one particularly benefits from this presentation.
THE AUDIO
Dolby digital is a format that works well for the English track here. There are no other language tracks, but there are English and Spanish subtitles offered.
THE EXTRAS
There are no extra features included on this disc.
FINAL THOUGHTS
The script and acting of Boy A make it a memorable and powerful drama. Discussion of the topics examined in the film will likely fill up a lot of conversations for viewers after watching it. Though it isn’t for kids at all, adult audiences will find viewing this film a moving experience and will want to at least rent it. Some will want to buy the impressive drama of Boy A.
