Review of Boy A (2008) by Michael S — 11 Jul 2010

This is a film that will bring on debate about second chances.

After viewing Boy A, I feel a lot of emotions, this is one of the most powerful films you will ever come across and it's powered by one of the most non-recognized, powerfully executed performances by the young and ever so talented Garfield.

The brilliancy of Boy A is how director Crowley and his young talented star lure us in and make us feel for a character, only to find out later on how horrible of an act he committed. That's what makes it so tough to swallow when you find out what he did. It makes you wonder if he really did deserve a second chance, or if maybe everyone deserves one.

Every scene is more breathtaking than the next, as we see through Garfield's character as he learns about life one step at a time. He grows up right in front of our eyes as he experiences all life's great moments after being locked up for all his teenage years.

Garfield will bring chills to your spine with this commanding and heart-wrenching performance that should have at least earned him an oscar nom. It's really tough to be able to pull off such a role. I mean, he makes us fall for a character that killed a girl when he was a young boy. He really does prove that even the most unforgettable criminals can change. That's not saying he didn't deserve his time in jail, it's saying he deserved his second shot and it's a shame that the media wouldn't leave him alone when he got out.

Crowley set out to show how it's the media that creates the imagery, the monster. And he was dead on in doing so. Crowley also proves that a small-scale movie can still be just as powerful as a bigger one. I feel that the low-budgeted atmosphere from opening credits to the closing, this couldn't be any better with a big budget, and different actors. The cast was perfect, it's a real head scratcher how Crowley was able to cast nothing but unknowns and have such great performances.

For those who have yet to see Boy A, and there is a lot of people that have not. You must find this movie and see it for yourself. You truly will not be sorry.