From the award-winning 2004 novel by Jonathan Trigell, Boy A is a film about a man whose only path forward lies in burying his true identity. In court practice, concealment of a child defendant’s name is commonplace, hence, the title of this film.

As if to strip him of human dignity, ‘Boy A’, now Jack (played by Andrew Garfield), must learn to lead life anew after serving prison time, under a concocted identity  to protect him from the wrath of the same community that banished him 14 years ago for his heinous childhood crime of murder. Is there any grace at all then, when second chances come with such a heavy price?

At 11, Jack was a social recluse from a difficult family background. And while a child like him should be like other kids his age, growing up and surrounded by proper healthy influences, Jack’s life wasn’t to be like those around him.

As the film rolls, we begin piecing together the life of a boy whose violent past had its roots in the sore lack in any sound parental figures. How was a young boy going to understand or make sense of any (or lack thereof) reason behind his actions when the deprivation of acceptance overrides morality?  Coupled with the negative influence of another troubled boy, the downward spiral of ‘Boy A’ brings you to question a life that should have been but never became.

By the time he was 24, the world outside has become a place completely alien to him after being shut away for so long. What was then a playground is now a place where the past catches up with him; where not even in sleep, is he able to hide from his chilling, violent past. There is so much naivety in Jack’s character, from his awkward expressions of speechless gratitude, his boyish bashfulness, to his child-like trust in social worker and father-figure, Terry (played by Peter Mullan).

How often has it been said, that in love, there are no secrets?

For Jack, there’s no such luck. And it is essentially on this platform that director John Crowley and screen-play writer Mark O’Rowe have woven together pure honesty and agonisingly intense moments of Jack’s relationship with his first girlfriend, Michelle (played by Katie Lyons).

Do note, though, that this film is rated M18 for scenes of nudity.

It is towards the end of the film, that we may begin to understand the grimness of the big, or bleak picture and outlook for Jack. Boy A’s story could very well be an eerie reality or the reflection of the kind of society that we are or have become. An unforgiving society, with its mass media’s fixation on sensationalism, which offers no second chances.

Andrew Garfield’s portrayal of the quiet and sullen Jack is convincingly real. There is promising potential in his acting ability as seen in the pathos he has injected into his character. In all, a laudable performance from Garfield whose acting not only rings sincere, but is also a fitting complement to the rare poignancy of this work. Not surprisingly, the actor, who has done some TV work since 2005 and acted in The Other Boleyn Girl, won Best Actor in the prestigious 2008 BAFTA TV Award, being 1 of 4 in the production to be so honoured by this high honour. The other BAFTA wins were for Best Director- Fiction/Entertainment, Best Editing – Fiction/Entertainment and Best Photgraphy  and Lighting – Fiction/Entertainment. In addition, director Crowley also won in the Panaroma category at this year’s Berlin International Film Festival.

UrbanWire’s verdict:

This is a gem of a story, albeit with a grim ending. Although we don’t know how true this is an adaptation of the original novel, we are sure that in the screenplay, the essence of Boy A remains still in its rawness and honesty in character portrayal with kudos to its promising cast.

UrbanWire gives Boy A 3 out of 5 stars

Movie Details:

Rating: M18
Runtime: 100 min
Language: English
Director: John Crowley
Cast: Andrew Garfield, Peter Mullan
Date of Release: Sep 4  

(Credits: Poster and movie still are courtesy of Golden Village)