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Borstal Boy

Play trailer Poster for Borstal Boy 2002 1h 33m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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47% Tomatometer 34 Reviews 62% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
Brendan Behan, a 16-year-old Republican, is going on a bombing mission from Ireland to Liverpool during the second World War. His mission is thwarted when he is apprehended, charged and imprisoned in Borstal, a reform institution for young offenders in East Anglia, England. At Borstal, Brendan is forced to live face-to-face with those he perceived as the enemy, a confrontation that reveals a deep inner conflict in the young Brendan and forces a self-examination that is revealing.

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Borstal Boy

Borstal Boy

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Critics Consensus

The sentimentality of Borstal Boy feels false in contrast to the gritty life of the actual Brendan Behan.

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Critics Reviews

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Janice Page Boston Globe 06/07/2002
2/4
Dripping with cliche and bypassing no opportunity to trivialize the material. Go to Full Review Steven Rea Philadelphia Inquirer 05/02/2002
2/4
Takes a clunky TV-movie approach to detailing a chapter in the life of the celebrated Irish playwright, poet and drinker. Go to Full Review Misha Berson Seattle Times 04/12/2002
2.5/4
Well-made but mush-hearted. Go to Full Review Jan Stuart The Advocate 06/01/2022
The result is as entertaining and manipulative as such a formula might promise, helped immeasurably by engaging performances from the two male leads. Go to Full Review Michael Dequina TheMovieReport.com 04/07/2009
2/5
Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com 09/26/2005
2/5
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Audience Reviews

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garth m @Garth 08/26/2014 Watched the movie once again. Criminal organizations have long used children to do their dirty work because if caught they'll get off lightly. The Canadian Young-Offenders Act has been accused of fostering this belief. Terrorist groups and guerrilla armies like children because they are malleable and make fanatical fighters. Brendan Behan was so recruited by the IRA and found himself confined to Borstal Prison for boys. As played by Michael York the Prison Administrator was a fair-minded disciplinarian who believed in rehabilitation and treated his charges with the same respect he expected from them in return. As Behan Shawn Hatosy brings a Watched the movie once again. Criminal organizations have long used children to do their dirty work because if caught they'll get off lightly. The Canadian Young-Offenders Act has been accused of fostering this belief. Terrorist groups and guerrilla armies like children because they are malleable and make fanatical fighters. Brendan Behan was so recruited by the IRA and found himself confined to Borstal Prison for boys. As played by Michael York the Prison Administrator was a fair-minded disciplinarian who believed in rehabilitation and treated his charges with the same respect he expected from them in return. As Behan Shawn Hatosy brings a nascent Irish legend to life. The movie makes of a negative experience a positive rebirth. See more 01/05/2013 Sweet but really awkward. See more 01/28/2012 Good story. Touching period piece. A most confusing love triangle blossoms. I recommend it if you are not a closed-minded prude, and you appreciate the Brits. See more 08/22/2011 Loved loved this film See more 03/18/2011 This is a moving drama that *just* manages to veer away from being too preachy at the end, although it was a close call. Shawn Hatosy turns in an impressively understated performance. See more 03/13/2011 A very nice story of young Brendan Behan that shows love sometimes is found in unexpected places. As with any movie with WWII as a backdrop, there is not always a lot of sunshine, but the sweetness of youth is demonstrated. See more Read all reviews
Borstal Boy

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Cast & Crew

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Peter Sheridan

Director

Shawn Hatosy

Brendan Behan

Danny Dyer

Charlie Milwall

Michael York

Joyce

Lee Ingleby

Dale

Robin Laing

Jock

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Borstal Boy

Borstal Boy (2000) Michael York and Eva Birthistle co-star in BORSTAL BOY. Shawn Hatosy as Brendan, a young Irish soldier imprisoned in WW-II England in BORSTAL BOY. (l-r) Robin Lang, Danny Dyer and Shawn Hatosy as reform school students in WWII-era England in Peter Sheridan's BORSTAL BOY. Shawn Hatosy pins fellow reform school student Danny Dyer in BORSTAL BOY. View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Brendan Behan, a 16-year-old Republican, is going on a bombing mission from Ireland to Liverpool during the second World War. His mission is thwarted when he is apprehended, charged and imprisoned in Borstal, a reform institution for young offenders in East Anglia, England. At Borstal, Brendan is forced to live face-to-face with those he perceived as the enemy, a confrontation that reveals a deep inner conflict in the young Brendan and forces a self-examination that is revealing.
Director
Peter Sheridan
Producer
Pat Moylan, Arthur Lappin
Screenwriter
Brendan Behan, Nye Heron, Peter Sheridan
Distributor
Strand Releasing
Production Co
Hell's Kitchen Films, Full Schilling Investments
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Mar 1, 2002, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 25, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA)
$87.1K
Runtime
1h 33m
Sound Mix
Surround, Dolby SR, Dolby Digital, Dolby A, Dolby Stereo