Inclubabu Plot so thin, it passes unnoticed.

Grimerlana Plenty to Like, Plenty to Dislike

ScoobyMint Disappointment for a huge fan!

Organnall Too much about the plot just didn't add up, the writing was bad, some of the scenes were cringey and awkward,

Raul Faust I started watching this movie knowing almost nothing about it. Once it began, it gave me the idea it would be a dramatic story about two enemies who turn out as friend in the end. The story is not that original or anything, but it kept me entertained, since I enjoy movies involving prison system and its consequences. However, the movie got into its climax and I couldn't identify what was its purpose; were Brendan and Milwall good friends or simply lovers? My complaint is that the movie doesn't choose if it's a story about friendship or romance, so you don't know what is clearly the message of the movie. In fact, you don't even know what are the real Brendan's feelings-- maybe even he doesn't know. The escaping scene is pure fun and a showing of young's seek for freedom, and we all can understand the young boys for doing that. Other than that, the theater scene is a little implausible, since I hardly doubt they'd have such materials to make a beautiful stage and outfit like that. So that's it, "Borstal Boy" is well acted and directed, but the story could (should) be more clear, in order to know what it is really trying to show. Good/average movie anyways.

Theo Robertson I was sitting in front of the TV flicking through the film channels trying to find a film I haven`t seen before : " Seen that . Watched that , that`s total crap " and grew more and more frustrated at trying to find a film I`d never seen before . The only reason I started watching BORSTAL BOY was it was the only movie on TV that night that I hadn`t seen and wasn`t too impressed when the TV guide described it as " An affecting coming of age drama about IRA saboteur Brendan Behan " so I was expecting another film about the peace loving pacifists of the IRA no doubt financed with money from the ailing British ( And spot the irony of that ) film industry , but I was pleasantly surprised by BORSTAL BOY . It`s quite a charming little film , very well written and acted by a largely unknown cast My only real problems with the film is that it perhaps tries a little too hard to be likeable . With the exception of Del none of the young crims come across as being violent criminals . Also I`m just not sure how " true " this true story is because I had the instinctive feeling that a few of the facts had been changed in order to give BORSTAL BOY a more dramatic impact , some of the friendships seemed unlikely and being assigned to HMS Prince Of Wales ! How unlucky is that ?But if you take the facts with a pinch of salt you`ll certainly like this film , especially if you found SCUM to be such a turn off due to its unrelenting violence . And keep an eye out for the names Lee Ingleby and Danny Dyer . You might be hearing a lot more of them in the future

martyb-3 I really enjoyed this movie! Takes a careful ear to pick up on the accents at first. If it gets wider distribution (I saw at a film festival in San Francisco), it ought to really boost Shawn Hatosy's career. It's the best he's done. I'll buy it on DVD when it's available.

gianniz In wartime England a reform school headed by a benign warden harbors troublemakers of different nationalities. The IRA rascal, brilliantly played by an American, Sean Hatosy, is just one of the boys whose antics propel Sheridan's film through comic scenes to a finale of loss and sadness. Sheridan's cutting is quick and deft, and, except for the last 10 minutes the plot skillfully avoids the pitfalls of sentimentality.Warning to new directors: pop songs on a movie soundtrack can be injurious to your film, as it is here, along with a peculiarly stagy ending in an Irish railway station, where the hero vanishes into clouds of steam. Otherwise the film is very moving, and certainly one of the best investigations ever into the rightness of feelings of love. Defying the long and awesome tradition of Irish verbal art, Sheridan demonstrates that sometimes silence is the best way to express the feelings that attend separation. The inmates' production of Wilde's "The Importance of Being Earnest" is a small triumph. The entire film is a huge triumph for director Sheridan. See it in a theater with a good sound system: sometimes the Irish-accented English can be hard to grasp.