Review of This Boy's Life (1993) by Val M — 01 Apr 2010

One of those that gets lost in the plethora of movies that rush by year on year... A great story that every child can relate to, even though it may be in the smallest of ways. I wonder if people knew that Leonardo DiCaprio would one day be as big an actor as he is today... I have seen a lot of his movies and his performance in this one stands out; he was a natural.

The new father (De Niro) seems paternal at times and turns to his wicked side all of a sudden; a fabulous actor in his own right but is overshadowed by DiCaprio in this flick.

I believe that most great movies are made great through the cast, its ability to convince an audience and the director's ability to mould everything together - all of which have been achieved. One can't help but believe that this is Tobias Wolff (DiCaprio) himself, as this movie is based on his childhood.

One notices the mother's helplessness, the new father's own dark background and resentment, Tobias's friends, Tobias's different sides and the raw emotion in almost each scene. There was nothing over the top, given that De Niro's performances are, at times, too 'in your face'. Every part of the movie blended perfectly with the other and a reason for this could be the fact that this was Tobias's real story - writers are often overlooked, but it is they who plant the seed for what can be a great on-screen story.