The Boys Are Back

Sep 27

Sep 27

Sep 27

Oct 4

Sep 27

Courtesy of Miramax
Australia, UK • 2009 • in English • 104 min • PG-13

The rocky, precarious, yet insistently life-affirming journey of The Boys Are Back began with the real-life story of a father facing his family’s greatest crisis the only way he could – by sheer instinct, with unflagging humor and a dogged refusal to give up on the most primal basics of love and life no matter the daily battles ahead.

In 1994, Simon Carr’s wife Susie died after a gutsy bout against cancer. Up till then, life had been pretty darned good for the journalist– he was deeply in love, a respected workaholic and a man with a spontaneous streak of adventure and dry wit. But suddenly, Carr woke up a single father without a single clue as to how to go on, let alone do the laundry. Wrestling with an oncoming tidal wave of foreign emotions, Carr nevertheless had to figure out how to reinvent himself, how to go from a shell-shocked widower to a hands-on dad with the wherewithal to bring his family back from the brink. It wasn’t easy, and there was no map. He dodged all the do-gooder advice, and started his own experiment in what he called “free range” parenting. He proudly made every mistake in the book.

And yet, somehow, day after day, struggle after struggle, Carr and his two sons found a way to grab onto momentary pleasures – and each other – as they began to reemerge as a stronger, different kind of family unit than they might have imagined. Though they called themselves “The Lost Boys,” father and sons found something vitally sustaining in each other – and in the human spirit’s capability to survive a world where nothing, ever, can be taken for granted.

Club reactions by city:

moderated by Linda Dittmar

I loved the landscape–it complemented the plot so well; a visually beautiful film.

There was real psychological depth. The father's struggle was so moving and his learning how to parent was heartwarming.

The children were amazing – great acting. They were able as actors to express their needs so powerfully.

moderated by John MacKay

A poignant topic made more real through a child's perspective.

Wow - a chick flick about boys! Refreshing to see a relationship story about how men deal with grief and emotion. (And the fact that men actually do have 'emotions.')

Although I would have loved to clean the kitchen, it was worth watching the phoenix rise from the ashes.

moderated by Peter L. Stein

Beautifully acted and shot, music extremely sensitive and never intrusive. Loved it!

As the wife of a father with an 'of course you can have frosting for dinner' style of parenting, the story rang very true.

A bittersweet portrait of fatherhood in the face of grief, hope and healing. Very fine performances!

moderated by Harper Barnes

Poignant, wonderful.

I lived through something similar to this after the loss of my husband, and I thought the movie was right on target. Very sensitive and realistic.

Manipulative, unoriginal, predictable, but I LOVED IT. Amazing acting, believable dialogue and true human feelings.

moderated by Peter Brunette

Clive Owen of course is so appealing and the boys are so believable and wonderful actors.

Somewhat conventional story, well told, beautiful countryside, a bit too much of a tear-jerker. Music well chosen, but drew attention to itself in certain scenes rather than supporting the action. Father flawed but believable.

This movie's characters were so involving that I found it almost impossible to pull back and evaluate the technique of the film, editing, etc. Wonderfully moving!