Scott Hicks has directed such soul-stirring classics as Shine and Billy Elliot, and it’s been quite some time since he ventured into romantic comedy terrain with No Reservations. The Boys Are Back falls somewhere between the majestic emotional journey of films like Shine and the quiet reserved power of Hearts in Atlantis, once again focusing on a central parent-child relationship. The Boys Are Back is no different – based on a true story, written as a novel by Simon Carr and lovingly adapted to film by Hicks.
Underrated actor, Clive Owen, is given the reins as Joe Warr – a father, sports writer, role model and single parent. After his wife passes… Joe is left with Artie, their young boy, whose very notion of life and death is still being assembled. For Joe, life has become a whole lot more complicated… dealing with loss, raising a boy on his own and keeping his job as a top sports writer. Just when he thinks he’s got a grip on things… Artie starts acting up, his ex-wife sends his estranged son on holiday and his boss starts to weigh in on him. Life’s little hiccups…
The Boys Are Back is a warm film, despite dealing with loss, abandonment and the “joys” of single parenthood. It’s sometimes tougher for a Dad, who wants to be a best friend and strong father figure to his sons simultaneously. The adventure for these boys is played out in life’s unpredictability, the mistakes we learn from and the “what doesn’t kill you, only makes you stronger” ideology. Hicks swathes The Boys Are Back with a sense of reality, a simple yet affirming story about coping, layered with a heartwarming and hopeful message.
This is a touching film, a heartwarming drama and laced with sensitive performances from Clive Owen, Rupert Grint look-a-like George McKay as Harry and Nicholas McAnulty as young Artie. They are the boys… and their back-to-basics adventures are homegrown, full of freedom and down-to-earth warmth. They say the best things in life are free and The Boys Are Back intends to prove it! Spirited performances, good father-son chemistry and a real-life true story will remind you why it’s great to be a parent.
The Boys Are Back is comparable with Martian Child for the father-son dynamic between Joe and Artie, while the coming-of-age journey for Rupert Grint character in Driving Lessons parallels with George McKay’s role as Harry. This is a heartfelt drama, which is rewarding for its rich storytelling and true-to-life performances. It’s simplicity and connectedness make The Boys Are Back a special and memorable film, which may not have the grandeur of Hicks’s best work – but still manages to capture the soulful essence.
The bottom line: Spirited.
Screenplay with Spling
Stephen ‘Spling’ Aspeling
www.spling.co.za
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