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This Boy's Life

This Boy's Life (1993)

April. 09,1993
|
7.3
|
R
| Drama

When a son and mother move to Seattle in hopes for a better life, the mother meets a seemingly polite man. Things go south when the man turns out to be abusive, endangering their lives. As the mother struggles to maintain hope in an impossible situation, the son has plans to escape.

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Reviews

BootDigest
1993/04/09

Such a frustrating disappointment

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BlazeLime
1993/04/10

Strong and Moving!

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Dynamixor
1993/04/11

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

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ThedevilChoose
1993/04/12

When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.

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zetes
1993/04/13

Moving adaptation of Tobias Wolff's memoir. Leonardo DiCaprio, in the same year he became a break-out star for What's Eating Gilbert Grape, stars as Wolff, a teenager who moves all around the country with his mother (Ellen Barkin). They finally settle down in Concrete, Washington when Barkin falls for a mechanic (Robert De Niro). After the two marry, De Niro quickly reveals his true colors: he's a petulant, petty jerk. In particular, he treats DiCaprio like total crap. He has three kids of his own (including a young Carla Gugino and Eliza Dushku), and he treats them well enough, but he feels jealous of DiCaprio. He's severely emotionally abusive toward him and even physically so when pushed. DiCaprio, who isn't exactly a good kid, gets his life straighter, seemingly just to spite his stepfather. DiCaprio was quite good in What's Eating Gilbert Grape, but, for my money, his talent shines through here much more in a less showy role. I think most people have known a guy just like De Niro's character, and he's very good here. Barkin is also quite good. Jonah Blechman is also very good as DiCaprio's gay buddy. Tobey Maguire appears in his first credited role.

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tequila101
1993/04/14

I never knew about this film, but now seeing it twice this month, I truly love the story, the characters and I feel that I can feel Tobias's pain. I'm glad I know this film now.The story is about a troubled boy named Tobias along with his mother growing up in the old country world. The year(s) are 1957-1959. When she gets with an abusive mechanic and then marries him, Tobias lives a tough life everyday getting abused by his cruel father. He must get out there but how? Leonardo DiCaprio & Robert De Niro along with all the other cast do an excellent, and very exceptional job at their roles. The music fits perfectly with the sad tone and there are many great scenes, I even love how in the end Tobias tries to stand up to his abusive, step father to convince him to leave him alone.This a must watch many times. I have really fallen to like this film a lot, and it is one of my favorite films of all time. I usually say that about most films but this was a really exceptional film. Like Dark Crystal, it should have not gottan a 7, it should have gottan a 10/10

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Tiger (roguegenius)
1993/04/15

Had this movie not have come on TV via our satellite network, I might have never seen it. When I saw the names of the three main actors in this film, I expected a lot. I was not disappointed. DiCaprio, who has a real knack for picking great roles and acting well even when his characters are not all that great did a wonderful job. Ellen Barkin did well as the typical housewife of the era where man was still king and woman belonged in the kitchen. The biggest surprise, however, was De Niro, who has played some of the greatest characters of movie history, who showed a side not often seen, not that his character was over the edge and unlikable, but that it was an over the edge and unlikable character unlike those we have seen him play in movies such as Taxi Driver and Raging Bull (but then this is not a Scorsese film). Barkin's character did not get enough screen time for my taste, as I have always found her crooked smile to be enchanting, but it was a biography and the central action was between the characters played by DiCaprio and De Niro. Barkin played her role well. DiCaprio and De Niro did likewise. Add in great support from Tobey Maguire and you have a delightful and interesting insight into the late 50s that was never seen on Leave it to Beaver.The biggest surprise, however, was the lack of awards and award nominations. Although there were some great films made that year and the Best Picture Oscar actually went to the best picture, almost any really good film gets some sort of nomination from one of the many industry related societies. While the sound track was nostalgic, the sound was not phenomenal, but it was not that type of movie. Same with cinematography. However, the screen play was very well written, and as stated, the acting well done. The costumes were definitely period appropriate. Let's give it a satellite award, people. Give it to Tobey Maguire and Leonardo DiCaprio for best kiss.

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Boba_Fett1138
1993/04/16

As far as biopics go, this movie really isn't the most interesting one around. I mean, who is Tobias Wolff to deserve a picture being made about his life. The things he went through during his youth really aren't the toughest and he also hasn't really accomplished anything in life to consider him deserving of such a biopic. He basically is an average Joe, from Hometown USA. It doesn't mean that this is a bad movie, it just is a bit of a redundant one you can easily do without.Sure, the movie has a nice story, that is a real typical drama one, without feeling not ever real or convincing enough. It's a good thing that the movie doesn't ever really go over-the-top with its emotions and drama, which is of course also thanks to the movie its actors. The movie has a real surprising cast, with already established names such as Robert De Niro, Chris Cooper and Ellen Barkin in it. It however also stars some at the time still young and raising stars. The movie stars a young Leonardo DiCaprio, even before he did "What's Eating Gilbert Grape", which became his real first big breakthrough. All of the actors are powerful within their roles and also real surprising at times. We for instance don't to often see De Niro like this. The movie also stars a still young and also very unknown Tobey Maguire, in a real small part though but it was fun to notice him.The cast is also being directed well. Sort of too bad that director Michael Caton-Jones doesn't make more drama's, since this is obviously were the most of his talent lays. Instead he more often works on overblown big pictures, like "The Jackal" and "Basic Instinct 2". Also his "Rob Roy" was far from the picture that it could had turned out to be."This Boy's Life" is simply a good movie but I just wouldn't exactly call it a must-see or anything like that.7/10http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/

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