Borstal Boy
by Peter Sheridan
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DVD details
Actor: Danny Dyer, Eamon Glancy, Ian McElhinney, Petricia Leventon, Shawn HatosyDirector: Peter Sheridan
Brand: WLF
Writer: Peter Sheridan
Producer: Arthur Lappin
Producer: Jim Sheridan
Producer: Judy Counihan
Producer: Nye Heron
Writer: Nye Heron
Writer: Brendan Behan
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language)
Format: Color, DVD, NTSC
Running Time: 93 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2002-10-15
Audience Rating: Unrated
Studio: Strand Releasing
DVD Reviews of Borstal Boy
DVD Review: If you are gay, you will love this movie, and Shawn Hatosy.
Summary: 4 Stars
Brendan was an Irish teenager who got caught for transporting explosives for IRA and sent to juvenile correction prison. The gay version: There he met a gay sailor, slowly became friends, eventually realizing his love for the boy, only after it's all too late. The more mainstream version: He met a gay sailor named Charlie, and the warden's daughter Liz, felt attraction to both, realizing that love is stronger than hate.
Regardless of which version you prefer, this movie is more than a simple love story. It's a passage of how a boy learned to find himself, and to grow up to be a young man. The director handled the love between 2 boys with great taste. In the end, all they shared was just a kiss. But the love came across stronger and deeper than any gay movies I have seen so far where boys jump to bed faster than Chelsea queens.
Shawn Hatosy gave a great performance. He was very convincing as a 17-year-old Irish boy, and pretty good for the part as a boy slowly coming to terms with his homosexuality. The problem I have with his character has more to do with the inconsistency of the behavioral age. The inconsistency of his stutter is relatively a minor issue. But the character's behavior shifted back and forth between that of a teenager and a 20-something young man. The amazing part is, Shawn Hatosy is very convincing in all of them, if you took out each scene and look at them separately. But as a movie, that comes down as a flaw, probably more on the script/director part than Hatosy's acting skill.
Danny Dyer gave Charlie a personality that was funny, tender, sensitive, self-respecting and even a little cocky. It's quite refreshing after seeing most gay movies with an openly gay boy and an All-American boy coming to terms with his gayness. The openly gay one always come across overly sensitive and less confident.
I am a fan of Shawn Hatosy, well, since a couple of weeks ago. Watched "In & Out" & "John Q" long time ago and never noticed him, until when I watched "Soldier's Girl" a couple of weeks ago. He shined through with a stunning performance that surpassed the two leading actors. That's how it got me to see this movie. The characters in "Soldier's Girl" and "Borstal Boy" are so different that it really showed his talent and acting skills.
But I have to say that in this movie, Danny Dyer gave the better performance. He was so brilliant with his facial expression that he could simply convey all the feelings without saying a word. One of the most memorable moments, and the most heartbreaking one, is the farewell between Brendan and Charlie. No sad words, no tears, just a moment of closing his eyes. The pain was so deep that it just couldn't be expressed in words or tears.
As one reviewer said, "If you liked "Beautiful Thing", you will love this movie". I do feel this movie is better because it managed to avoid some of the cliché and sentimentality that are common to gay-themed movies including "Beautiful Thing". And the attraction and love between the two boys comes gradually and naturally, actually quite believable.
The music in general is ok. But as a reviewer pointed out, a modern pop song in 1930's story was just a little out of place, although the lyrics itself fits perfectly with the scene. ("The end of the road" played in the farewell scene).
Movie deserves a 4 and the DVD deserves a 1 star. No caption and no bonus material. But since the content is what counts, this DVD deserves a 4 star.
And in conclusion, if you are gay and like innocent love stories, you will love this movie, and Shawn Hatosy.
Description of Borstal Boy
Synopsis:Item Type: DVD Movie
Item Rating: ""NR
Street Date: 10/15/02
Wide Screen: no
Director Cut: no
Special Edition: no
Language""ENGLISH
Foreign Film: no
Subtitlesno
Dubbed: no
Full Frame: no
Re-Release: no
Packaging: ""Sleeve""
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