PodBill Just what I expected

BroadcastChic Excellent, a Must See

Micransix Crappy film

Neive Bellamy Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.

cass-q I loved this movie, as it seemed to show a male version of learning, learning from reality and honesty about the responsibilities of caring for others - if you've chosen to do it, you have to face what is needed, and try do it, not just wing it, when you feel like doing it.I love the honesty in the film, love how the new growing girlfriend does not put up with him skipping over stages in the relationship and just expecting her to bail him out by helping with the sons when he suddenly needs it. Clearly he is a man with very vague assumptions that women's roles just simply fall into place automatically without choice and planning. This movie is great for showing his learning from failures, we see that planning overall is needed, to organize a house and home. I disagree with the reviewer who said the film lacked an ending: I may be romantic, but it seemed that Joe was learning with each lesson, and that by the end, he had reluctantly but realistically accepted losing his work role as lead sports reporter, making the choice to take care of his sons, and do what it takes to be there. One has the idea that he gets the idea that he must now tell his job not to count on him for emergencies, and if once in a while he must go, he will plan ahead.

mikezexcel I guess anyone can try to get their life story out there nowadays, no matter how boring. The only reason I sat through this dull film was to see if something, anything, would happen before it ended. That something happened in the first 5 minutes: Clive Owen's wife of 6 years dies - suddenly, I might add - of cancer. He is left a sullen shell of a man, unable to keep his house clean and look after his young son. True stories usually have something inspirational or redemptive about them. At least they should or it is not a story worth telling. No such luck here. He tries to reconcile with the older son from a first marriage, who lives with his ex-wife half a world away. I could go and tell you how he ambles through each day, but it would be just as boring as it sounds. This film really had nothing to say, and it is easily the worst movie I have seen in years.I don't have a grudge against this type of movie. I actually am a sucker for a weepie done right. The best examples would be MEN DON'T LEAVE (with Jessica Lange) and of course TERMS OF ENDEARMENT. I am among the few people who have actually seen MEN DON'T LEAVE, and it is a masterpiece. A terrific example of tempering your weepie with humor and interesting characters. I'd sit through it a dozen times.

Gordon-11 This film is about a husband who grieves the sudden death of his wife, the way he copes and the unexpected complications that follows his decisions."The Boys Are Back" is a touching drama that slowly unfolds but constantly captivates the viewer. It is a sad tale to be felt and pondered on. It is not easy to cope with the sudden loss of a loved one, even more so when compounded with job pressure and coping with family duties. What strikes me the most is the incongruence between Harry's behaviour and feeling throughout the feeling. He wants his father and yet he keeps pushing him away. Fortunately, the ending is satisfying and has adequate closure of issues. I enjoyed watching "The Boys Are Back".

gradyharp If Clive Owens accepted the role of Joe Warr (based on the autobiography of Simon Carr) as an attempt to break away from his type casting as a blood and thunder action hero, he at least proved that he is able to step beyond his usual screen presence. Though the story of a happily married sports writer to a beautiful young second wife Katy (Laura Fraser), enjoying their one child Artie (Nicholas McAnulty), who abruptly becomes a single parent when Katy dies from metastatic carcinoma, placing him in the uncomfortable position of becoming a single parent, is not unique among the tearful novels that have also made their way to the screen, this film survives on the quality of the cast. Not only does Joe have to overcome the treacherous terrain of tending to housekeeping along with the tenuous gap that occurs when a parent dies and the remaining parent must tend to the grief of the remaining child, but he also must cope with the young Harry (George McKay), his son by his first marriage in England (his second family is in Australia) who feels deserted and asks to come to live with Joe and his half brother Artie. The film lingers over the madness of a household of males, tinkers with tricky problems with inlaws and his exwife, but in the end the message is that with 'growth' on the parts of each of the three males in the tale, happiness is possible. The film's intent is admirable and the cast of characters selected to portray these people - Owens shows real potential as a serious dramatic actor, George McKay is particularly excellent as the elder son - is very well selected. The film is long, and could be easily edited without altering the impact of the story. Director Scott Hicks allows the film to become predictable and overly saccharine: less could definitely have been more. But it is a good evening's entertainment. And Clive Owens CAN do Hallmark-type films for TV! Grady Harp