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Boy A

Boy A

2008
Romance, Drama
1h 42m
The story of a young ex-con Jack, newly released from serving a prison sentence for a murder he committed as a child. (imdb)
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Boy A

2008
Romance, Drama
1h 42m
Your probable score
Avg Percentile 64.63% from 920 total ratings

Ratings & Reviews

(920)
Compact view
Compact view
Rated 01 Nov 2008
8
78th
I think I liked it more than I should have but I just found Garfield to be both superb and charismatic. He doesn't dampen his character because of his uncompromising and tragic past, but rather allows the audience to find the right balance between empathizing with him and judging his misdeeds. The film is just a fine example of what filmmaking should be, and I highly recommend it !!!
Rated 10 Jan 2010
84
77th
One of the things cinema can do so well is make you see the world through the eyes of someone you could never be, and this film does that very deftly. It balances sympathy with repulsion and really makes you question how we judge people both personally and as a society. Great lead performance too. I wish the ending had been a bit more open ended, leaving you thinking about what might be but what's on screen works.
Rated 16 Nov 2008
88
89th
Andrew Garfield is absolutely superb in the lead here offering up a ground-breaking performance. The movie itself packs an incredible punch asking the tough question of whether or not a person deserves to carry on with their life after committing perhaps the most heinous crime. It's a tough film to watch but it is certainly worth it in order to see a such an issue explored.
Rated 13 Oct 2008
67
35th
Despite all good intentions it never manages to get out of the too predictable plot.
Rated 09 Mar 2009
70
77th
Should one be forgiven for a heinous crime and left to live his life? What exactly should the punishment be for murder of a child as a child? Just a few questions the film poses on its audience. As the story unfolds, it becomes less and less about a boy that killed and more about a man trying to move on with a thing called life.
Rated 20 Sep 2008
35
10th
Melodramatic and amateur. Scenes and shots go on and on with no fathomable purpose. Our lead actor cries and acts awkward in every scene. Whoop-tee-motherfucking-do. That does not a good performance make. What a disappointment.
Rated 19 Sep 2008
80
78th
An intelligent, realistic and gruesome look at the heavy baggage that a young murderer will have to carry for the rest of his life. Oddly reminds me of Hallam Foe: only grown-up and much more believable.
Rated 12 Jun 2013
73
64th
This guy is fresh out of prison, and immediately he's got a job and a girl jumping down his pants? I never went to prison, and even I don't have those things! Ha ha ha ha ha! Heh........... oh god i'm so alone
Rated 24 Oct 2010
6
54th
Fuck the last 6 minutes of this movie.
Rated 06 Oct 2010
83
88th
I was surprised at how personally invested I became in the fate of the protagonist. Boy A is the type of movie you want to shut off after an hour because you just want everyone to be happy and not for things to take a downward turn. I loved the atmospheric music, the sparse sets, the acting (Garfield pulls off his role impressively) and the sense of bleakness. Feels like a very personal movie, making a few scenes hard to watch. Plus the ending really got to me. Ye gods, I'm such a sappy bastard.
Rated 22 Mar 2009
81
77th
Emotionally riveting and brilliantly acted. Hard to watch at times, and perhaps has a low replay value because of that, but still a fine film that poses many challenging questions to the viewer to think about once it's all over.
Rated 20 Dec 2013
88
71st
Small in scale but large in impact, Boy A's career making performances (particularly that by star Andrew Garfield) and carefully crafted characters defy judgment and aggressively provoke debate.
Rated 19 Apr 2012
92
89th
This is a brilliant movie and criminally underrated. It deserves to be famous and I think it does a terrific job of exploring the controversial issue of what to do with child offenders, which in Britain is still a very sensitive topic. However, the film handles the topic with utmost respect and care, portraying its characters in a realistic way and filling us with pity and sadness for a character who in real life people would be unable to sympathize with. Films like this are why cinema exists.
Rated 22 Jun 2011
90
94th
Excellent. Yes predictable at times, but what's wrong with that?
Rated 02 Dec 2012
30
18th
I liked the characters in this movie, and the acting was good but stinted. There were a few lines that I could not make out what they were saying despite rewinding several times. The ending was bad. I also disliked that they did not tell the whole story, instead just eluding to what had happened.
Rated 25 Nov 2012
63
71st
The rehabilitation is a little too good to be believable, but only a little. 'E' for effort all-round in this parable about fathers and sons.
Rated 02 Jun 2009
99
97th
Don't judge. Just open your mind and try to understand.
Rated 05 Dec 2008
30
17th
of course you dont expect anything entertaining or popcorn-movie like, but this one was soooo boring, reminded me of "my left foot"
Rated 14 Aug 2010
79
66th
Yet another individual/family social drama from Britain, and a good one! The story, the people and the acting all fit together into a marvellous tale of a man whose child crime will haunt him for a lifetime. The movie really puts you onto his side, making you wonder what the media should and shouldn't do. I must say that it is, however, a really slow-paced movie (too slow on some parts), and the ending is somehow too predictable.
Rated 02 Oct 2011
69
66th
This really struck a chord with me. Andrew Garfield is outstanding. The film is beautifully crafted and it's definitely thought provoking. It may not be overall as technically high-end as my score seems to make out, but I really liked it.
Rated 28 Sep 2008
80
70th
Works brilliantly on nearly all fronts.
Rated 24 Aug 2009
75
64th
Very well done tale exploring the notions of punishment, retribution and redemption. Obvious references to the Bulger case in the UK. A brave and thought provoking movie.....worth a watch
Rated 07 Aug 2017
58
40th
Garfield is customarily great in the main role and the movie is good enough, only not memorable or particularly interesting.
Rated 06 Jul 2009
78
48th
pretty good. sad though.
Rated 06 Feb 2012
60
57th
It's a good film with excellent cinematography. However the writing is woefully incomplete, leaving far too many characters unexplained and unexplored, and far too much background unshown. This makes it hard to care what happens to any of the characters. One of the main characters' roles was never actually shown to the viewer, and this detracts severely from the overall story. It's a shame because other than these glaring holes it is a well-made film with great acting.
Rated 14 Jul 2013
90
59th
Movies is slow till half and then changes the form; nicely written and directed.
Rated 02 Apr 2009
7
70th
Very well done.
Rated 10 Mar 2011
50
44th
heartbreking
Rated 22 Sep 2010
71
60th
Haunted by his past this boy tries to become a member of society. Questions about murder and crime are posed while this film unfolds. Great acting and involving story.
Rated 21 Jan 2010
80
84th
The story lacks originality and hits all the standard dramatic beats you'd see in a film like this but what carries it is the excellent performance by Andrew Garfield and Peter Mullen. Overall the film is beautifully shot but leaves you wondering what it would have been if the writing was a bit better.
Rated 23 Feb 2009
76
59th
Jack don't u do it ! JACK DON'T JUMP !!!
Rated 21 Oct 2010
20
41st
"For all its sensitivity, thoughtful sobriety, and sound performances, though, Boy A finally permits itself an excessive number of contrived and/or clichéd gestures." - Nick Schager
Rated 07 Nov 2011
72
65th
I thought it was ok. The ending was quite moving though, but the film never completely touched me. But that's probably because of my stone-cold heart
Rated 21 May 2010
100
97th
this movie is so touching and real...this movie is so character driven..beautifully written..and the acting is so great...a classic
Rated 11 Sep 2010
83
68th
I was sucked into this movie big time, and I'm glad I did. Quite moving without being too deep... almost made me tear up on occasion. Andrew Garfield (Jack) was astounding, portraying his past and present in long, uncut scenes. The bleak settings reflected the atmosphere of the film, and you know Jack didn't have much going for him. One shortcoming = pretty predictable plot, but let yourself get sucked into Jack's world. Watch once, but twice might spoil it.
Rated 27 Jan 2010
76
54th
Well acted drama about a rather disturbing topic. Very well directed and Andrew Garfield did a great job in his first major role. The only problem for me was that I couldn't always understand what people were saying. Their accents were a little too thick occasionally. But that didn't really stop me from enjoying the film, it was just a little distracting.
Rated 06 Jan 2012
80
78th
Top badass moment? Tough one this. Do I go for something involving the bad guy turned good, or the good guys turned bad? I know, I think I'll just opt out and go for something totally different. A few scenes are shot at Alton Towers. Alton Towers is simply badass. This is a proper Brit drama, all misery and failure; it might as well have been in black & white. Things finally falls apart completely when AG tries to be a hero. (Did you see what I did there?) No cats, chainsaws or decapitations.
Rated 26 Nov 2010
68
61st
Over-eggs the pudding. One too many eggs.
Rated 08 May 2013
90
95th
Powerful stuff. Obviously based on the case of the murder of James Patrick Bulger. Whatever your own personal opinion, this hits you straight in the gut.
Rated 08 Jan 2011
1
0th
Boy A is so excessively mannered that the story's human element (misunderstood youth, society's indifference) is lost.
Rated 20 Feb 2013
60
71st
Clearly based on the James Bulger murder case, Boy A - and Garfield in particular - does a great job of raising the issues around the release of young sadistic killers and whether or not they deserve a second chance in society. The first half is fantastic, and I felt the film could've gone even further to really mist the morals of the viewers. Jack's sudden 'outing' and the final scenes that follow are disappointing, but perhaps the novel is to blame for that.
Rated 17 Dec 2011
90
95th
This film left me utterly speechless. This great British Drama is shot as a devil's advoate kind of view, showing two sides to every story. Certain parts of the film led me and (I'm sure others) to recall a very similar well known British case. The actions to the film lead you to make your own opinions and your mind is questioning every part of this dilemma. Superbly acted, gritty, emotional, real hard hitting stuff with a controversial issue. Amazing! Kudos to the Director and leadi
Rated 27 Dec 2010
82
84th
(25-12-'10) I was left with a feeling of deep sadness and contemplation after watching this film about a young ex-con, newly released from serving a prison sentence for a murder he committed as a child. What really carries the film is Andrew Garfield's top notch performance of a boy who feels trapped in the shells of his childhood that are left standing by society. Boy A is beautifully shot, may be a little slow at times, but I was left in silence as the credits rolled. Great movie.
Rated 28 Jan 2009
79
51st
All the elements are there for this to be a great film, except it just didn't seem to all come together to form one. I guess my biggest complaint was that the ending was completely forecast from the first 10 minutes. Another problem is that it was too easy to confuse the two children--several times my family and I could not tell which kid was which. So this was good and a recommended watch if you want to see some angst, but don't expect miracles.
Rated 20 Feb 2009
54
56th
okay movie
Rated 18 Aug 2009
100
80th
excellent story of one's worthy of a second chance and the value of a life
Rated 01 Aug 2010
88
82nd
Emotional film, that provoces ethical discussions among it's audience. The movie unfolds at a perfect, easy, pace and because of this we get a realistic view in the life of a boy struggling to get a hold of his life.
Rated 30 Mar 2009
80
39th
Good story
Rated 30 Oct 2008
80
64th
Tragically tragic.
Rated 25 Jul 2009
77
85th
Carries some resemblance to a real story from Britain, which makes it all the more provocative, I guess. Really touching story about a still young man, trying to live a normal man, whilst being one of the most hated people in the country. Fabulous.
Rated 13 Dec 2021
88
80th
When he got to pick his new name at the beginning I was genuinely shocked/disappointed when he didn’t say “Boy A”. However, Garfield’s delivery of the name “Jack Burridge” more than compensated. What a great actor

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