Boy A (2007)

To be honest, this is only a TV movie, but it's so excellent I wanted to include it here. Telling the story of a young man released into society after many years in prison for the murder of a girl when he was still a boy (inspired by the release of Jamie Bulger's killers), this film offers a remarkable portrait of an adult discovering the world through the eyes of a child. The story covers the responsibilities of work, first love and sexual awakening, alcohol and drug use, social discomfort and a beautiful surrogate father and son relationship between Jack and his parole officer who helps him reintegrate into society.

The real treat of the film is the performance of Andrew Garfield as Jack, an incredibly sensitive and understated portrayal of a shy but strong-willed young man in a uniquely difficult situation. His performance is a real revelation and I definitely earmark him for a very exciting career in the future. He is supported by equally fine performances from all the cast, particularly Peter Mullan as his case worker, who has his own intriguing side-plot featuring his wayward son and the conflict between his professional role caring for boys and his troubled interactions with his own child.

The direction from John Crowley is great and the film is subtle even during some more slightly forced situations, such as when Jack accidentally takes an Ecstasy pill in a club (a scene which brilliantly captures the anxiety and adrenaline of the moment), or the scenes between the young Jack and his friend, where potential motives for their aggressive behaviour are proposed. I particularly like the scene where the very-much-under-the-influence Jack is dancing in the club - I'm seeing it increasingly more, in 'Beau Travail' or 'Requiem', but a physical dance still works brilliantly at expressing a character's awakening to freedom. Equally, I was impressed by the performances drawn out of the young children discussing very uncomfortable subjects such as anal rape by a sibling. It's dark but very moving and tender and I'm very excited to see what the director does next.

This is certainly one of the best things I've seen on TV in a long, long time and I'd put it up there with 'Nature Boy' as an excellent TV-made exploration of unconventional late adolescence. I've already seen it twice now, and I also hear it's been sold to the States, so hopefully this film will stay around for audiences to continue discovering. I really recommend this film, and also Andrew Garfield - an amazing talent. The film was adapted from a novel by Jonathan Trigell, which I'll definitely be seeking out.