Borstal Boy (2002)
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45% of critics liked it
(33 reviews) -
65% of users liked it
(1,523 ratings)
The teen years of Irish writer and political activist Brendan Behan. At the age of sixteen, while on a bombing mission from Ireland to Liverpool during the Second World War, he is caught by the British. He is sent to a Borstal, a reform institution for young offenders, in the south of England. At… More The teen years of Irish writer and political activist Brendan Behan. At the age of sixteen, while on a bombing mission from Ireland to Liverpool during the Second World War, he is caught by the British. He is sent to a Borstal, a reform institution for young offenders, in the south of England. At Borstal, Brendan is forced to live face to face with those he perceived as "the enemy," a confrontation that forces a self-examination that is both traumatic and revealing. Events take an unexpected turn as Brendan falls for the headmaster's daughter and befriends an ostracized gay student. In the emotional vortex, he finally faces up to some difficult truths and finds a way to move on.
- Rating, Runtime
- Unrated, 1 hr. 33 min.
- Directed By
- Peter Sheridan
- Written By
- Peter Sheridan, Nye Heron
- Genres
- Art House & International, Drama
- In Theaters
- Mar 1, 2002 Wide
- On DVD
- Oct 15, 2002
- Studio
- Strand Releasing
Critic Reviews
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Janice Page, Boston Globe
Dripping with cliche and bypassing no opportunity to trivialize the material.
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Joe Baltake, Sacramento Bee
Hatosy establishes himself here not only as the bona fide star of this little ensemble film, but also as a talent to be watched.
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Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer
Takes a clunky TV-movie approach to detailing a chapter in the life of the celebrated Irish playwright, poet and drinker.
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Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle
A film that will probably please people already fascinated by Behan but leave everyone else yawning with admiration.
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Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
Does anyone much think the central story of Brendan Behan is that he was a bisexual sweetheart before he took to drink?
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