The Boys Are Back could be a historical footnote in film history. Not for anything revolutionary, but for the fact it could be the last ever release from Miramax, in its current guise. And whilst this won’t be featuring on any Best of Miramax box sets, it’s still an above average effort to finish with. Clive Owen stars as Joe, an Englishman now living in Australia , who having recently lost his wife has to cope with his own grief whilst also caring for his son. Things soon get a bit more complicated with the arrival of his son from his previous marriage in England . Throw in some (at times) disapproving in-laws and a possible new love interest and you have all the ingredients for a standard drama. It’s fair to say this isn’t too much originality in terms of the screenplay, but though the characters may be stereotypical, director Scott Hicks moves the film along at a decent lick and deftly handles the dramatic scenes. On the downside you may find yourself becoming too removed from the film as at times the characters hardly deserve your sympathy. If you do find that’s the case at least you can enjoy Hicks’ and Grieg Fraser’s (the cinematographer) view of South Australia . Being from South Australia himself, Hicks gives the tourist board down there a free advert with rolling wheat fields, open roads, lolling waves, green vineyards and cute kangaroos all vying for your attention.
The OC Film Sting Final Verdict
Melodramatic definitely, but decent acting and a few dabs of humour see it through. Rating: 7/10.
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