Boys (1996)

19% of critics liked it
(26 reviews)
28% of users liked it
(4,432 ratings)

Boys is a coming-of-age tale about an addled prep school student who nurses a woman back to health after an accident and becomes involved in her cryptic past. John Baker Jr. (Lukas Haas) is a tormented high school senior outcast who's weary of his upper-crust boarding school life and dreads his… More Boys is a coming-of-age tale about an addled prep school student who nurses a woman back to health after an accident and becomes involved in her cryptic past. John Baker Jr. (Lukas Haas) is a tormented high school senior outcast who's weary of his upper-crust boarding school life and dreads his future as a supermarket chain manager. When he finds Patty Vare (Winona Ryder) unconscious in a field after being thrown from a horse, Baker sees this as an opportunity to break out of his humdrum existence, and he smuggles her into the school to take care of her. The relationship blooms into a somewhat bizarre love affair, as John discovers that Patty is concealing a mysterious secret involving a missing baseball player and a stolen car. Although the film takes a little time to get started, what originates as an analysis of guarded youths making foolish judgments evolves into a celebration of adolescent insurrection. ~ Don Kaye, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: PG-13, 1 hr. 29 min.
Directed By: Stacy Cochran
Genres: Drama

In Theaters: May 10, 1996 Wide
On DVD: Mar 4, 2003

Critic Reviews

Variety Staff, Variety
As vague and unfocused as its title.
Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader
The actors do a nice job of investing it all with a certain conviction, and there's a fairy-tale tinge to some of the action that gives it a certain charm.
Desson Thomson, Washington Post
The movie's not helped at all by Ryder, who seems uncomfortable playing femme fatale to these grimy-fingered boys, as if she doesn't believe anyone could feel this adulative about her.
Peter Stack, San Francisco Chronicle
A first-rate example of good actors stuck in a bad movie.
Hal Hinson, Washington Post
It is essentially a coming-of-age movie, but the circumstances are so eccentric and the relationships so unique that Cochran seems to be reaching for something more inscrutable, more ambiguous.
James Berardinelli, ReelViews
Boys is a love story, or at least that's what the film makers would like us to believe. The problem is, there isn't much emotion present.
, TV Guide's Movie Guide
What begins as an edgy examination of sheltered, selfish kids making stupid choices devolves into a ludicrously mannered celebration of adolescent rebellion.
Trevor Johnston, Time Out
Writer/director Cochran is stronger on capturing the texture surrounding her characters' converging experiences than making much of it when they do get together.
Clint Morris, Moviehole
Haas and Ryder let off some serious sparks, even if the screenplay doesn't
James Sanford, Kalamazoo Gazette
Obviously reshot and recut to the point of complete incoherence
Scott Weinberg, eFilmCritic.com
Amazingly bland Winona Ryder vehicle.
Wade Major, Boxoffice Magazine
A dreadful disappointment of epic proportions.

Read all 12 critic reviews

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Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

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Featured Audience Ratings

Nicki M

Wow this was a bad movie. Taped it off tv as I had never seen it and had liked a few of Winona's older movies. I remember hearing bad reviews on it when it was first out, but figured I'd check it out anyhow. I mean, I like some crap, let's face it. But this.....… More
Wow this was a bad movie. Taped it off tv as I had never seen it and had liked a few of Winona's older movies. I remember hearing bad reviews on it when it was first out, but figured I'd check it out anyhow. I mean, I like some crap, let's face it. But this..... this was a whole new level. Ten minutes in and I'm already bored crapless. Ugly film to look at, not a whole lot happening in story either...I stuck with it to see what all the flashbacks were hinting at. Surely be interesting at the end... but no, lame as, and don't even get me started on the ending. I mean, where the hell where they running off to?! And Winona's acting in this was like she was mentally challenged, not injured. Extremely ill advised. Avoid.
Leo L

This film is one of those unfortunates that would have been great, but just didn't. Great music regardless!

Cast

            Winona Ryder as Patty Vare

            Lukas Haas as John Baker Jr.

            Skeet Ulrich as Buddy Valentine

            John C. Reilly as Officer Kellogg Curry

            Bill Sage as Bill Martone

            Wiley Wiggins as John Phillips

            Chris Cooper as Mr. John Baker

            Maddie Corman as Liz Curry

            Angela Hall as Officer Julie Leroux

            Jessica Harper as Mrs. John Baker

            Catherine Keener as Jilly

            James LeGros as Fenton Ray

            Matt Malloy as Bartender

            Bob Moore as Officer Darryl Cane

            Christopher Pettiet as Jon Heinz

            Vivienne Shub as Frances

            John Fitzpatrick as Steve Hunt

            Charlie Hofheimer as John Cooke

            David Newsom as Curt

            Spencer Vrooman as John Murphy

            Rob Carlton as Tom Vare

            John Reeves as Phil Rains Esq.

            Carter McNeese as Floor Waxer

            James Gardiner as Kellogg Curry Jnr

            Cheryl Goode as Beer Girl

            Marty McDonough as Teacher

            David Paulson as Lieutenant Love

            Gregorio Rosenblum as Dr. Paz

            Miranda Syp as Ellen Vare

            Russell Young as John Van Slieder

            Andy Davis as Jonathan Marco
See full cast

Boys (1996)

Critic Reviews

Featured Audience Ratings

Nicki M

Leo L

Cast