Boys are Back in Town

 They might be back, but it never really went anywhere.

I think everyone has that mate, that 'not really my friend, just a guy I know' mate, who gets a little overexcited every time there is a crowd around. They try too hard to the life of the party and instead of being clever or funny they are just over the top and kind of annoying. Their jokes are as predictable as your Dad's and their comments are as subtle as a hammer.

In movie terms that mate is 'The Boys are Back'. It is a likeable enough movie but just too predictable, trying too hard and ultimately, slightly annoying.

'The Boys are Back' follows Joe (Clive Owen) as a British sports journalist living in South Australia whose wife dies suddenly and leaves him trying to navigate the uncharted waters of being a single father to young son Artie. When his son from a previous relationship, Harry, comes to stay and the travel demands of work start to resurface Joes finds himself struggling to meet all of his responsibilities.

The movie features 5 main characters. Add to Joe, Artie and Harry, Laura the single mother of one of Arties class mates and Barbara the grieving mother in law.

Instead of developing each into their own character the movie relies on established stereotypes. This creates an uneasy tension as you watch because the characters reactions seem to come out of the blue instead of being a predictable outcome of the story development.

Below: Laura’s growing relationship with Joe is uncomfortable, and at times, over the top.

Each character becomes a cliché. Barbara becomes your typical, meddling, advice giving mother in law but without the humour to make it bearable. Artie tries too hard to be cute but lacks the grace of Jerry Maguire's Ray. The relationship with Laura is uncomfortable being so close to the death of Joe's wife and one crazy outburst is very reminiscent of Bridget Jones. With a director who is responsible for the movie 'Shine' that took home the best actor Oscar you expect more.

Clive Owen, for all his star power, is simultaneously wooden and over the top. At many points you feel as though you are watching actors on a screen in a movie rather than being absorbed in a story full of characters.

All in all the movie is watchable, but a film like this that bills itself as 'poignant' and 'moving' should be offering more than just entertainment. It should have a greater theme or offer intriguing insights to the human condition so ultimately I was disappointed that by end of the movie 'The Boys are Back' had offered neither. It tried too hard, instead of compelling characters it was predictable and instead of subtle it was obvious. It felt like it never really got to where it was trying to go story-wise and just like your over the top mate at a party it would be much more comfortable for it to be what it was rather than trying to be something else.

Below: Artie isn’t as cute as Ray from Jerry Maguire and Clive Owen delivers a wooden portrayal of a grieving father.



Jeremy White, 8 February 2010.