A sports writer becomes a single parent in tragic circumstances.
Director:
Scott Hicks
From metacritic.com
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Title: The Boys Are Back (2009)
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6 nominations.
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Edit
Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Clive Owen | ... | Joe Warr | |
| Emma Booth | ... | Laura | |
| Laura Fraser | ... | Katy | |
| George MacKay | ... | Harry | |
 |
Nicholas McAnulty | ... | Artie |
| Julia Blake | ... | Barbara | |
| Chris Haywood | ... | Tom | |
| Erik Thomson | ... | Digby | |
| Natasha Little | ... | Flick | |
| Lewis Fitz-Gerald | ... | Tim Walker | |
|
|
Nakia Pires | ... | Lucy |
| Emma Lung | ... | Mia | |
| Steven Robertson | ... | School Housemaster | |
| Georgina Naidu | ... | Paula | |
|
|
Daniel Carter | ... | Digby & Paula's Child |
Edit
Plot Summary
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Storyline
The Boys Are Back is a confessional tale of fatherhood. It follows a witty, wisecracking, action-oriented sportswriter who, in the wake of his wife's death, finds himself in a sudden, stultifying state of single parenthood. Joe Warr throws himself into the only child-rearing philosophy he thinks has a shot at bringing joy back into their lives: "just says yes." Raising two boys - a curious six year-old and a rebel teen from a previous marriage -- in a household devoid of feminine influence, and with a lack of rules, life becomes exuberant, instinctual, reckless... and on the constant verge of disaster. The three multi-generational boys of the Warr household, father and sons alike, must each find their own way, however tenuous, to grow up. Written by Miramax
Plot Keywords:
half brother | barefoot male | camera shot of feet | camera shot of bare feet | parenthood |Taglines:
Inspired by a true story. See more »Genres:
DramaMotion Picture Rating (MPAA)
Rated PG-13 for some sexual language and thematic elements | See all certifications »Parents Guide:
View content advisory »
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See more on IMDbPro »
See full technical specs »
Details
Language:
EnglishRelease Date:
12 November 2009 (Australia) See more »Also Known As:
De vuelta a la vida See more »Edit
Box Office
Opening Weekend USA:
$49,342, 27 September 2009Gross USA:
$809,752Cumulative Worldwide Gross:
$3,234,705Company Credits
Production Co:
Australian Film Finance Corporation (AFFC), BBC Films, Hopscotch Productions See more »
Show more on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
Dolby DigitalColor:
ColorAspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1
Edit
Joe Warr: [narrating] I don't know whether you've ever seen a map of a person's mind. Doctors sometimes draw maps of other parts of you, and your own map can become intensely interesting. But catch them trying to draw a map of a child's mind, which is not only confused, but keeps going round all the time. There is zig-zag lines on it, just like your temperature on a card. And these are probably roads in the island, for the Neverland is always, more or less, an island.
See more »
Written by Serge Pizzorno, Christopher Karloff (EMI Music Publishing Australia)
Performed by Kasabian
Licensed courtesy of Sony Music Entertainment Australia
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
Of script-writing, screenwriter Allan Cubitt said in publicity for this picture: "One of the tricks of being a writer of drama is to empathize with those characters and feel their feelings, their joy and pain and so on, so I am frequently in tears when writing," he explained. "In fact, if I am not actually crying while I'm writing then I worry it's probably not working." See more »Quotes
[first lines]Joe Warr: [narrating] I don't know whether you've ever seen a map of a person's mind. Doctors sometimes draw maps of other parts of you, and your own map can become intensely interesting. But catch them trying to draw a map of a child's mind, which is not only confused, but keeps going round all the time. There is zig-zag lines on it, just like your temperature on a card. And these are probably roads in the island, for the Neverland is always, more or less, an island.
See more »
Connections
Featured in South Australian Film Corporation 40th Anniversary Showreel (2012) See more »Soundtracks
Club FootWritten by Serge Pizzorno, Christopher Karloff (EMI Music Publishing Australia)
Performed by Kasabian
Licensed courtesy of Sony Music Entertainment Australia
See more »
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Going in, I had utterly no idea of what to expect from this film. My companion didn't even tell me ~what~ movie we were going to see, much less any clues to what it was about. I don't think I've ever walked into a theater with so little idea of what to expect. All I knew was that Clive Owen had a role; but he plays such diverse roles, that gave me no clues.
But, I'm sure even those who knew lot more about this movie going in were surprised. The story provides lots of unexpected and unusual moments. I would anticipate the plot would turn one way, and it would find a whole new direction of it's own. It was refreshing to see a movie that didn't try to fit a mold - that has it's own unique view, rather than fitting into a genre.
The acting was quite amazing; really wonderful believable performances all around. Main characters and minor characters were so believably portrayed that watching the movie occasionally gave me as sense of being the peeping tom.
So those are truly amazing achievements in a movie, especially these days. And yet...
"Boys" has aspects of a great movie, but, sadly, it isn't great. The underlying Peter Pan theme was a bit overplayed. It felt as though the director kept whispering in your ear, saying, "Got it? Got it, yet?"
The storyline held surprises, drama, tension, and some great comic relief... along with more than a few tediously boring scenes that let the audience fall right out of the movie (enough of the raindrops on windows!). It's always a bad sign when I check my watch during a movie, and I checked my watch way too many times in this one.
So, go see it and expect to see something special in it. The specialness is there, even if the movie sometimes dumps you out of the scene and back into your theater seat.