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The New Boy

Play trailer Poster for The New Boy 1h 56m History Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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72% Tomatometer 47 Reviews Popcornmeter 0 Verified Ratings
From acclaimed filmmaker Warwick Thornton, The New Boy takes place in 1940s Australia at a remote monastery with a mission for Aboriginal children run by a renegade nun, Sister Eileen (Cate Blanchett). A new charge (Aswan Reid) is delivered in the dead of night – a boy who appears to have special powers. However, the boy's Indigenous spiritual life does not mesh with the mission's Christianity and his mysterious power becomes a threat. Sister Eileen is faced with a choice between the traditions of her faith and the truth embodied in the boy, in this story of spiritual struggle and the cost of survival.
The New Boy

What to Know

Critics Consensus

The New Boy bites off more than it can comfortably chew, but this heady exploration of faith and cultural tensions has an ethereal allure.

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Cast & Crew

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Warwick Thornton

Director

Aswan Reid

New Boy

Cate Blanchett

Sister Eileen

Deborah Mailman

Sister Mum

Wayne Blair

George

Shane Brady

Michael

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Critics Reviews

View All (47) Critics Reviews
Mark Kermode Kermode and Mayo's Take (YouTube) It's not the film you think it's going to be. It's far more transcendent than that. Mar 19, 2024 Full Review Wendy Ide Observer (UK) The pacing is languid to a fault and it all gets rather bogged down in allegory. Rated: 3/5 Mar 17, 2024 Full Review John Nugent Empire Magazine A gentle, odd little Australian fable. Warwick Thornton’s film has a lot of thoughts to process, and while they don’t always cohere, the performances from Blanchett and Reid keep it interesting. Rated: 3/5 Mar 14, 2024 Full Review Todd Jorgenson Cinemalogue Like the title character, the film is more about what’s left unsaid, incisively exploring the inconvenient truths beneath the surface without charting an easy path to catharsis. Feb 7, 2025 Full Review Jack Martin Film Feeder There is an exceptional theme at the heart of The New Boy that is certainly touched upon, in often profound ways, but it isn’t explored as deeply as it absolutely could have been. Rated: 3/5 Aug 5, 2024 Full Review Romey Norton Film Focus Online There is no right way to interpret this film, and maybe that is what makes it so wonderful. The New Boy will open your mind and your heart, as you’re taken on a spiritual journey of an orphan and a nun navigating their beliefs. Rated: 3.5/5 Jul 22, 2024 Full Review Read all reviews
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The New Boy

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Movie Info

Synopsis From acclaimed filmmaker Warwick Thornton, The New Boy takes place in 1940s Australia at a remote monastery with a mission for Aboriginal children run by a renegade nun, Sister Eileen (Cate Blanchett). A new charge (Aswan Reid) is delivered in the dead of night – a boy who appears to have special powers. However, the boy's Indigenous spiritual life does not mesh with the mission's Christianity and his mysterious power becomes a threat. Sister Eileen is faced with a choice between the traditions of her faith and the truth embodied in the boy, in this story of spiritual struggle and the cost of survival.
Director
Warwick Thornton
Producer
Cate Blanchett, Georgie Pym, Kath Shelper, Andrew Upton
Screenwriter
Warwick Thornton, Warwick Thornton
Distributor
Vertical
Production Co
First National Pictures, Dirty Films
Genre
History, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
May 23, 2025, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
May 30, 2025
Runtime
1h 56m