Movie Review: The Boys Are Back

Psychologist Elisabeth Kübler-Ross famously defined the five stages of grief as denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. Regression to immaturity isn't on that list, but "The Boys Are Back" shows that it's one way of reaching healthy self-awareness after the death of a loved one.

The movie should come with the tag line "Don't try this at home," because the method has near-fatal pitfalls. Yet the characters' clumsy emotional growth shows us there's hope even for a stumbling father and two sons groping toward peace.

The film, adapted from Simon Carr's memoir-like novel, reveals its main point in its title. Australian sports writer Joe Warr (Clive Owen) all but gives up adulthood in his mid-40s after his wife dies of cancer and leaves him with a son whose reactions he can't read. Joe indulges little Artie (Nicholas McAnulty), in hopes of shielding him from pain. Water balloon fights in the house? Yeah! Birthday party with hide-and-seek in the dark, where poisonous snakes may lurk? Cool! A drive down the beach with Artie sitting unrestrained on the hood of Joe's jeep? Wheeee!

Click to learn more...

Allan Cubitt's script shows how foolishness can devolve into recklessness, then self-destructiveness. Cubitt reminds us how deeply children want structure in their lives by introducing Joe's son from a first marriage. Harry (George MacKay), a self-possessed teen, thinks Joe dumped him on his mildly neglectful mom; Harry visits Joe and Artie and tries to reconcile with his dad, but their anarchic glee makes him uncomfortable.

Cubitt and director Scott Hicks adopt typical Hollywood clichés. Widowed Joe meets a single mother (Emma Booth) who's patient, good-humored, attractive and about 20 years younger than he. Though Joe is a newspaperman, he apparently has an unlimited bank account that allows him to gratify his whims. Hicks isn't a subtle director : I winced every time someone read aloud to Artie from the heavily symbolic "Peter Pan."

Subtlety comes from the performances. McAnulty makes an extraordinary debut; we believe every aspect of his complex personality. The sensitive MacKay is his equal in a less complicated role. The women are charming, which is all that's asked of them.

Owen's work will be a revelation to those who have seen him in tough-guy roles in which he played likable, even kindly characters. (Think of "Children of Men.") Here he plays a softy whose empathy is a weakness because it's not accompanied by insight. The actor once considered for the role of James Bond proves he's adept at bonding with an emotionally troubled family.