Sign up
Trailer

Boy A

2008Movie1 h 46 minR

CrimeDrama
79
GreatGoodWatch score
IMDb7.5Letterboxd3.7/5Metacritic757.8Rotten Tomatoes88%87%

A deeply moving, relentlessly bleak crime movie about everyday modern life and the mind, with standout performances and characters.

Good for thought-provoking · adults · solo watch

Skip it if you need an uplifting mood

Where to watch

Fingerprint

Not for warmth, comfort or laughs.

Movies with

Story

Who decides who gets a second chance?

Freed after a lengthy term in a juvenile detention center, convicted child killer Jack Burridge finds work as a deliveryman and begins dating co-worker Michelle. While out on the road one day, Jack notices a distressed child, and, after reuniting the girl with her family, becomes a local celebrity. But when a local newspaper unearths his past, Jack must cope with the anger of citizens who fear for the safety of their children.

Feels like

  • Psychological Drama
  • Redemption Story
  • Social Stigma
  • Childhood Trauma
  • Character Study
  • Bleak Realism
  • Intense Acting
  • British Cinema
  • Moral Dilemma

Cast

10 of 10

Crew

Directed by
John Crowley
Written by
Mark O'Rowe, Jonathan Trigell
Produced by
Lynn Horsford, Nick Marston, Tally Garner
Music by
Paddy Cunneen

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

July 23, 2008 · 1 h 46 min · R

Released
July 23, 2008
Runtime
1 h 46 min
Age rating
R
Content
Violence, Strong Language, Disturbing Imagery, Suicide Themes
Genres
Crime, Drama
Original language
English
Made in
United Kingdom
Box office
$1 million
Available in
25 countries
Keywords
based on novel or book, based on true story

Tropes

Anti-Hero, Dark and Troubled Past, Driven to Suicide +9

  • Anti-Hero
  • Dark and Troubled Past
  • Driven to Suicide
  • Country Matters
  • Reformed, but Rejected
  • Very Loosely Based on a True Story
  • The Sociopath
  • Earn Your Happy Ending
  • Tragic Villain
  • Karmic Death
  • The Scapegoat
  • All for Nothing

12 of 15 tropes. From TV Tropes.

Q&A

4 questions, like "Where can I stream Boy A?"

Questions about Boy A

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Is Boy A worth watching?

79
GreatGoodWatch score

Mostly, it's well received, with a GoodWatch score of 79 (IMDb 7.5, Letterboxd 3.7 out of 5, Rotten Tomatoes 88%, and Metacritic 75).

Will I feel good after watching Boy A?

BleakHopeful

Probably not: the title analysis rates it 9 of 10 for bleakness and 8 for melancholy, against 1 for hopefulness.

Is Boy A plot-driven or character-driven?

CharactersPlot

Mostly character-driven: it leans on character depth (9 of 10) and pathos (9 of 10) more than on its plot.