This Boy's Life (1993)

Director:

Michael Caton-Jones

Writers (WGA):

Tobias Wolff (book)
Robert Getchell (screenplay)

Release Date:

9 April 1993 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama

Tagline:

He looked like the ideal husband. He seemed like the perfect father. That's just what they needed. But that's not what they got.

Plot:

The story about the relationship between a rebellious 50s teenager and his abusive father, based on the memoirs of writer and literature professor Tobias Wolff.

Plot Keywords:

Mechanic | Small Town | Gay Teenager | Domestic Violence | Complaining

Cast

Robert De Niro	...	Dwight Hansen
Ellen Barkin	...	Caroline Wolff Hansen
Leonardo DiCaprio	...	Tobias 'Toby' Wolff
Jonah Blechman	...	Arthur Gayle
Eliza Dushku	...	Pearl
Chris Cooper	...	Roy
Carla Gugino	...	Norma
Zachary Ansley	...	Skipper (as Zack Ansley)
Tracey Ellis	...	Kathy
Kathy Kinney	...	Marian
Robert Zameroski	...	Arch Cook (as Bobby Zameroski)
Tobey Maguire	...	Chuck Bolger
Tristan Tait	...	Jerry Huff
Travis MacDonald	...	Psycho
Richard Liss	...	A&P Manager

MPAA:

Rated R for strong language and sexuality.

Runtime:

115 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Canada:14A | Iceland:12 | Portugal:M/12 | Ireland:18 | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Finland:K-12 | Germany:12 | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Concrete, Washington, USA

Company:

Knickerbocker Films

Trivia:

Debra Winger dropped out of playing the mother.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Toby fights Arthur Gayle, his friends are egging him on. When the fight ends they have inexplicably vanished.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Tobias 'Toby' Wolff: It was 1957. We were driving from Florida to Utah. After my mother was beaten up by her boyfriend, we got in the Nash and high-tailed it for the uranium fields. We were gonna get rich and change our luck, which hadn't been so hot since our family broke up five years back.

Movie Connections:

References The Searchers (1956)

Soundtrack:

Because

Blockbuster Rental February, 1999

I liked this film. I was able to relate not only to the young boy, Tobias Wolff, but also the stepfather Dwight. This film brought back memories of myself growing up when I was that age, as well as memories of being an errant father myself raising a son.

After viewing the movie twice, I checked out the book at the library and read it.

I feel that the film followed the storyline of the book quite well. Robert DeNiro did a superb job of protraying Dwight, as did Leonardo DiCaprio protraying Jack.

I recommend viewing this film by anyone who is raising a teenage son, so as to give some insight to the pitfalls that adolescence will challenge a father. Don't wait until after you have already raised your son, as then it is too late to benefit from the knowledge you will gain from this excellent story.