The Boys Are Back DVD Review

Clive Owen is one of the most underappreciated actors in the business today and he stars in the January 26th DVD release of The Boys Are Back.  This Miramax Films in association with BBC Films release from the producer of Billy Elliot and Director Scott Hicks (Shine) is a story about a successful sportswriter, Joe Warr (Owen), who struggles as a single father of two sons after the cancer death of his second wife Katy (Laura Fraser).

Artie is a six year old boy with a wild and adventurous spirit.  Despite being aware of what is going on, Artie (Nicholas McAnulty) initially avoids dealing with the news of his mother’s death.  Then, he begins to act out in an effort to express himself to his dad.  Harry (George MacKay) is Joe’s teenage son who lives with his mother in England.  He comes back to Australia, where the movie is set, to live with Joe as well.

Early in The Boys Are Back, Joe meets Laura (Emma Booth) a mother who helps out with Artie’s class out school.  It appears as though the film might take a direction of romance as the two single parents build a relationship.  However, Joe, probably to the pleasure of the female audience, is too hung up on his wife to trule engage Laura in an emotional relationship.  Instead, he uses her for childcare assistance until she has enough.

The film then takes the course of a struggling dad trying to manage the relationships in his home.  Owen doess a great job in a very real role.  He attempts to love on his kids and create a fun-filled and distracting atmosphere to help them cope with their hard reality.  He struggles more with discipline and occasionally becomes frustrated that neither boy helps him with any management of the home. 

Some parents might not appreciate the direction of the story that somewhat implies that discipline and teaching of responsibility are not necessary if you play with your kids and love them.  Certainly, this is important.  Efforts by Joe to try to show his kids responsibility ultimately lead to the greatest conflict in the film.  However, as is often the case in Hollywood, the story is better when the emotional angle is built up.  A film about a dad trying to balance a loving home with effective teaching does not have as nice of a dramatic ring to it.

The Boys Are Back is a nice film.  Owen is solid as are the two young actors.  The filmmakers do a nice job creating a bit of suspense in the plot by putting a potential romantic element in the beginning, before settling into the story about a dad and his two boys.  If you like dramatic stories that showcase that men can have an emotional side, The Boys Are Back DVD is for you.  There is a bit of mild language and mature thematic elements, but otherwise there is not much to offend in the movie.

MPAA Rating: PG-13
Running Time: 104 minutes
DVD Release Date: January 26, 2010

Grade: B-

Director: Scott Hicks
Starring: Clive Owen, Laura Fraser, Emma Booth, George MacKay, Nicholas McAnulty

The Boys Are Back DVD Review by Neil of Movie Room Reviews

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