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Usually seen gritting his teeth as he fires a gun in an action thriller (see: "The International") or using his ...
Usually seen gritting his teeth as he fires a gun in an action thriller (see: "The International") or using his classic leading man looks to attract admirers in a period drama (see: "Elizabeth: The Golden Age"), Clive Owen takes a change of pace to star in "The Boys Are Back" - a heartfelt tale of a single father.Owen plays Joe Warr, a sports journalist based in Australia with his wife and young son. Leading what seems like an idyllic existence - reporting on sport during the day and coming home to a beautiful house and loving family in the evening - Joe's life is torn asunder when his wife (Laura Fraser) dies of cancer. Left to care for his son Artie alone (Nicholas McAnulty), Joe is completely out of his depth. Luckily for him, a gorgeous single mum (Emma Booth) is on hand to help, even if Joe can't seem to act on his attraction to her. To complicate matters, his teenage son, Harry, (George Mackay) from his first marriage back in England comes to stay in the ramshackle house that he is now overseeing. Together, the three 'boys' of the title are forced to confront the challenges of life in the outback without a wife and mother."The Boys Are Back" features Clive Owen's finest performance to date: subtle, warm and engaging, this is the side of Owen's acting repertoire that we rarely get to see. Not only is he believable in the role of the overwhelmed father, but also the strength of the script means he never has to fall back on the tired, saccharine clichés that litter so many films of this ilk. Not far behind Owen are the two young actors who play his sons, with McAnulty, in particular, impressing in a tough role. With its universal themes of love, death and family, "Boys" is sure to appeal to even the most hard-hearted. Director Scott Hick has infused what might seem like an emotionally draining affair with enough light and joy for it to feel hopeful. It may not be flawless, but this is a compelling, emotive film with a great lead performance.
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Press Association
A widower struggles to raise his young son in the aftermath of terminal illness in Scott Hicks's moving drama, based ...
A widower struggles to raise his young son in the aftermath of terminal illness in Scott Hicks's moving drama, based on the emotionally devastating memoir of Simon Carr. By turns touching and funny, The Boys Are Back is a tribute to the resilience of the human spirit and a reminder that there is no instruction manual for good parenting. Sometimes, you just have to muddle through and do as little damage as possible. The film unfolds predominantly in the lush sprawl of South Australia and cinematographer Greig Fraser captures this wilderness in all its splendour. Tellingly, when the plot necessitates a brief stopover in England, colour appears to leach from every previously vibrant frame. Strewth, we Poms are a bunch of dullards. Sports reporter Joe Warr (Clive Owen) follows his beloved wife Katy (Laura Fraser) to her home down under where the pair watch proudly as six-year-old son Artie (Nicholas McAnulty) spreads his wings, with help from grandma Barbara (Julia Blake). Then their world implodes: Katy is struck down with terminal illness and with no hope of a recovery, the couple prepares for the worst. The mother fights bravely against the disease but eventually loses, leaving behind Joe as primary caregiver. Unused to this new role, he allows Artie the run of the house, removing all of the boundaries which helped the young boy to instinctively know the difference between good and bad behaviour. To add to the mayhem, Joe persuades his estranged teenage son, Harry (George MacKay), from his first marriage to join them in Australia for the summer. In the absence of any house rules and with Joe suddenly called away on business, Harry and Artie are left to fend for themselves, with only pretty neighbour Laura (Emma Booth) to call upon in an emergency. The Boys Are Back is a compelling portrait of a family in crisis, underscored with earthy humour. "You've got them on the wrong feet," despairs Joe, noticing that Artie has his shoes the wrong way round. "These are the only feet I've got," replies the boy. Owen relishes a meaty lead role, internalising much of his character's emotion, the sorrow apparent in Joe's eyes when Laura asks what Katy was li, ke and he replies, "Uniquely endowed with intelligence, rowdiness, sex appeal and, as it turned out, cancer." McAnulty is a natural in front of the camera, gelling convincingly with Owen and teenager MacKay, who demonstrates an impressive emotional range as arguably the only responsible adult in the house. Screenwriter Allan Cubitt has made slight alterations to Carr's text, changing the names of characters and shifting the action from New Zealand, where the author moved as a British ex-pat, to Australia. The introduction of Katy's ghost as Joe's confidante threatens to add a sheen of sentimentality that the picture doesn't need.
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