Peter Mullan and Andrew Garfield in Boy A (The Weinstein Company)
It's too bad Boy A (opening August 22 at Landmark's Ken Cinema) is opening with so little fanfare and no press screening. The film is the second feature by Irish-born John Crowley, his first being the darkly comic Intermission (with Colin Farrell). His sophomore feature, Boy A explores bleak territory but its insistence on not tying everything up in neat little bows is to be commended. It serves up a compelling story and asks viewers to connect all the dots rather than telling how it all fits together.
Max
August 28, 2008 at 03:48 AM
It's fantastic. A small movie beautifully acted and quite biting in its commentary on redemption & second chances.
How does one forgive one's sin and move on back into society? Do people forgive easily or not? The screenplay is rather tightly written with small vignets of new life in Boy A. But what happens when the new truth is based on a bigger lie, which was created to protect people from themselves? No good deed goes unpunished as it was.
The subject is worthy of a great debate. Does a person need a forgiveness by society in general or would a few closer persons' be enough? And how much truth do we all need? All these in a little story that is just heartbreaking.
I made the mistake of seeing this with Elegy on the same night. One was enough to think about, two was losing sleep ahead.
Max
August 28, 2008 at 03:49 AM
BTW, was Peter Mullan in My Name is Joe? That was reallly good, too.
Beth Accomando from San Diego
August 28, 2008 at 06:28 PM
Glad you made time for this small but worthwhile film. But to take in that and Elegy on the same night must have been a bit grim.
Mullan is the same actor that was in My Name is Joe. He's also a talented director.
Thanks for the comments.
cynic63
from france
March 03, 2009 at 08:32 AM
The movie has just arrived in France (last week). I saw it last night and I must say I wasn't disappointed. This is a very good british film and, as I read the book before seeing it, I can say it's quite close to Trigell's novel. Well recommended both (movie and book)
