Boy A: Ohh Boyyy….
After watching series of films over the past two weeks and coming back feeling pretty nothing much vis-' -vis any one of them, today I saw one that after watching, doesn’t make me want to see any other for some time atleast.
Boy A by John Crowley
Based on the novel of the same name by
Jonathan Trigell
(I hadn’t known about the existence of this book till the movie came along my way.)
It’s left me with bitter, mixed feelings. Made me kind of question myself. See, it’s very convenient to show the “other” side of any act of crime, primarily to justify the “whys”. Whys for the convicted; or maybe for the selected few who hand out the final judgment.
But then, on a few occasions, its so important to actually questions those very reasons. Especially when two children are involved in a crime of a gruesome kind. Then, does it matter what triggers this act? Is the nature of the punishment meted out justified? Most importantly, is the child allowed to begin all over again once he is done with it?
In the adult world, these questions do not find any place in a mind-set that immediately alienates those kids. For life. I’m not saying that leniency is the answer but it definitely calls out for a very different approach. One that introduces the thought of giving a second chance to the condemned. Definitely not easy but also not impossible.
Right, I can say all this now but I feel that may be just may be we can find a way out. For the kids. This is what came to me. I can write about the plot but then I feel it more relevant to write about what the story elicited from me. And this it is, I feel.
Boy A. Born Eric Wilson. Age about 10. Loner. Bullied at school. Dying mother giving into depression; a whirlpool she’ll never come out of. Father lives in a world that doesn’t quite include the son. Meets another kid Philip. His first friend who fights against his bullies. Who has a violent abused life of his own. What can we expect then.
The crime is just waiting to happen. The smaller ones leading to the final build-up.
It does. The brutal murder of a classmate instigated obviously by Philip.
Both convicted. 14 years later Boy A released on parole. Reborn as Jack Burridge. A very caring social worker cum parole officer, Terry, helps him take the first tottering steps into the free world.
This is where the film begins. When Jack is born. And how slowly he begins to build a normal life. Not easy at all as at each step with him walks the ghost of the past. Always cautious yet desperately wanting to be free, the guilt-ridden Jack gets a job at a local factory, makes a few friends and also falls in love. But each interaction is new to him. These are so honestly depicted that one really begins to empathize with him. At one level a coming of age tale, at another a tale of having the right to live ones life, trying to get the right to, Boy A just takes you in.
Yet time and again the crime he committed or abetted to doesn’t fade at all. His nightmares and past crop up regularly as a different track that introduces us to Eric
Wilson. His parents. His home. The bullies. Philip. The friendship. The doom it portends. Terry is not only his mentor but his only hope and aide. A father figure who guides him to normalcy.
Andrew Garfield is simply superb in this role. Each interaction for Jack is new and he always is so unsure about what’s to be done or how that at at times it was like on the brink of a breakdown and AG treads this line very finely.
But somehow one just knows this isn’t going to last. Does Jack get the second chance? What happens when his true identity comes to light? How it does is not very relevant but what happens then is. To Jack. To Terry. To Michelle, his girl-friend.
The film scores when it comes to making the viewer ponder. It’s not a film that will make one feel good no matter what the ending is. It isn’t this at all.
Honest performances, added on with music that just adds on to the brevity of the situation in a particular scene, the director has got it just right. I really liked the color tones used throughout and the lighting used such that shadows just fall there in the scene. It makes it more depressing but quite apt.
The book is said to more detailed and grey. But the adaptation is worthy too I feel. Will have to read the book next. But the film makes for a great watch. It’s not the usual everyone’s favourite though. Rightfully so.
Tags: John Crowley, Peter Mullan, World Cinema
Anurag Kashyap
Abhay Deol
Dibakar Banerjee
Hansal Mehta
Khalid Mohamed
Kundan Shah
Anish Kuruvilla
Jaideep Verma
Manish Gupta
Navdeep Singh
Bhavani Iyer
D. Santosh
Onir
Ashvin Kumar
Ramu Ramanathan
Sudhir Mishra
Pankaj Advani
Revathy
Saurabh Shukla
Shilpa Shukla
Sujoy Ghosh
Suparn Verma
Santosh Sivan
Shashank Ghosh
Shivajee
Pavan Kaul
Partho Sen-Gupta
Prroshant Naryannan
Sam Langoria
Satish Kasetty
Watched it a couple of months back…loved it for its subtle treatment of the subject matter…of course Andrew Garfield’s performance plays an important role in garnering audience sympathy…but the director ensures that the audience doesn’t forget the crime he committed…and therefore the dilemma
Good recommendation, will have to see this
And also it shows how media can play spoilsport in normal lives by its sensationalism, I liked this along with Eden Lake, Happy Go Lucky from British Cinema recently….
can anyone tell me where I can get this soundtrack…the music was awesome in this movie..
I saw this movie around 1 year back and still can’t get it out of my mind. And this is saying a lot from someone who watches all kinds of world cinema every single day. exceptional movie
Narendra – ya…the music was so…no clue @ the soundtrack availability….yet