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Boy

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Boy

Released Mar 2, 2012

1h 28m

Comedy

Drama

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Popcornmeter

88%

Tomatometer

74 Reviews

86%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

A New Zealand youth (James Rolleston) finds that his father (Taika Waititi) is a far cry from the heroic adventurer he's imagined the man to be.

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Critics Consensus

Boy possesses the offbeat charm associated with New Zealand film but is also fully capable of drawing the viewer in emotionally.

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Cath Clarke

Guardian

It's a disarmingly lovely, big-hearted film, and hilarious in places.

Rated: 4/5

Oct 13, 2017

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John Barber

Globe and Mail

Even the inevitable flaws of the low-budget production are winning, showcasing as they do the narrative artistry that makes Boy so distinctive amid current factory-written studio productions.

Rated: 3/4

Jul 13, 2012

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Linda Barnard

Toronto Star

A simple story of coming of age and the bitter failings of hero worship that succeeds thanks to the impressive skills of its young star.

Rated: 2.5/4

Jul 12, 2012

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Paul Kanieski

KSQD Community Radio

Waititi’s deft acting and comedy skills straddle the line between ironically funny and lovably pathetic.

Jul 21, 2023

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Graeme Tuckett

The Post NZ

As with all great comedy, there's some sadness and grit at its core that grounds the laughs in a relatable drama.

Sep 3, 2021

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Danny Brogan

Common Sense Media

A beautiful, heart-warming film that will be relatable to teens and will remind anyone older of a time when they too were trying to make sense of the world.

Rated: 4/5

May 18, 2021

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Harsh C

Quirky Kiwi family drama set in the 80s. Most of the story, including the violence, is sanitised to the point of cartoonishness, helping to keep a positive vibe rather than sinking into despair and helplessness.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

04/19/25

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Les N

Reading between the lines it's more like Once Were Warriors.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

03/27/25

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Zackary T

This has all the hallmarks of a great Hal Ashby film. It's absolutely heartbreaking, heartwarming and incredibly hilarious. All in equal measure. This is an incredibly hard feat to pull off

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/28/25

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Raven R

Amazing movie, I definitely recommend this movie. It shows a great story but you have to watch and find out what it tells you.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/12/24

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Madison D

This movie is definitely one of my favorite, the story line is beautiful and the movie isn't predictable. I really like it, the characters and there story line are great, U should Definitely watch it!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/12/24

Full Review

Marika P

You can't call yourself a true Taika fan until you've seen this movie. I cried, smiled and laughed. Like all Waititi films, this one teaches the soul. There is: funny symbols that examines guilt. We receive selfless help from where we would not even expect, from the person we hurt. However, Boy becomes a better person because he saw the counterexample (the vision of a fake hero which stripped away his layers through continuous value destruction). It became one of my favorite movies.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/23/24

Full Review

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Synopsis

A New Zealand youth (James Rolleston) finds that his father (Taika Waititi) is a far cry from the heroic adventurer he's imagined the man to be.

Director: Taika Waititi
Producer: Ainsley Gardiner, Cliff Curtis, Emanuel Michael
Screenwriter: Taika Waititi
Distributor: Paladin
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 2, 2012, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 6, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $255.2K
Runtime: 1h 28m

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