Boy A (2007)

User Rating:

7.9/10   

Director:

John Crowley

Writers:

Jonathan Trigell (novel)
Mark O'Rowe (screenplay)

Release Date:

4 September 2008 (Singapore)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Who Decides Who Gets A Second Chance?

Plot:

The story of a young ex-con Jack, newly released from serving a prison sentence for a murder he committed as a child.

Plot Keywords:

Prison | New Identity | Murder | Friend | Secret

Awards:

10 wins & 8 nominations

Cast

Andrew Garfield	...	Jack Burridge
Peter Mullan	...	Terry
Siobhan Finneran	...	Kelly
Alfie Owen	...	Eric Wilson
Victoria Brazier	...	Teacher
Skye Bennett	...	Angela
Madeleine Rakic-Platt	...	Schoolgirl
Josef Altin	...	Bully
Dudley Brewis	...	2nd Bully
Leigh Symonds	...	Eric's Dad
Maria Gough	...	Eric's Mum
Taylor Doherty	...	Philip Craig
Jeremy Swift	...	Dave
Shaun Evans	...	Chris
Carlene Hanson	...	Waitress
Katie Lyons	...	Michelle
James Young	...	Zeb
Anthony Lewis	...	Steve
John Catterall	...	Man in Club
Tilly Vosburgh	...	Shopkeeper
Philip Rowson	...	Policeman (as Phil Rowson)
Luke Broughton	...	Policeman
Paul-Michael Giblin	...	Photographer
Helen Wilding	...	Carol
Steven Pacey	...	Prosecution Barrister
Jared Garfield	...	Guy 1
Cyriack Stevenson	...	Council Officer
Tom Cottle	...	Reporter
Nathan Kershaw	...	Reporter
Josh Moran	...	Ticket Collector
Iris Sharple	...	Woman in Train
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jessica Mullins	...	Catherine Thompson (uncredited)

Directed by
John Crowley

Writing credits
Jonathan Trigell		(novel)
Mark O'Rowe		(screenplay)

Produced by
Sue Calverley	....	line producer
Tally Garner	....	producer
Lynn Horsford	....	producer
Liza Marshall	....	executive producer
Nick Marston	....	producer

Original Music by
Paddy Cunneen

Cinematography by
Rob Hardy		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Lucia Zucchetti

Casting by
Fiona Weir

Production Design by
Jon Henson

Art Direction by
Andrea Hughes

Set Decoration by
Anita Gupta
Robert Wischhusen-Hayes

Costume Design by
Julian Day

Makeup Department
Sarah Campbell	....	hair stylist
Sarah Campbell	....	makeup artist
Janet Horsfield	....	hair stylist
Janet Horsfield	....	makeup artist
Juliet Jackson	....	hair stylist
Juliet Jackson	....	makeup artist
Jessica Taylor	....	hair designer
Jessica Taylor	....	makeup designer

Production Management
Helen de Winter	....	post-production supervisor
Kevin Jackson	....	unit manager
Amanda Wasey	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Laura Coggan	....	second assistant director
Gemma Nunn	....	third assistant director
Dan Winch	....	first assistant director
Jen Leng	....	additional third assistant director (uncredited)
Dominic Threlfall	....	additional third assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Caroline Barclay	....	stand-by art director
Will Cann	....	prop hand
Gareth Cousins	....	assistant art director
David Ede	....	scenic artist
Neil Glyn	....	stand-by props (as Neil Glynn)
Patrick Henshaw	....	dressing props
Tony Henshaw	....	property master
Paul Mitchell	....	prop hand
Susan Ross	....	scenic artist
Kevin Smith	....	stand-by carpenter

Sound Department
Antonia Bates	....	dialogue editor
Owen Bleasdale	....	foley recordist editor
Paula Boram	....	foley artist
Paul Davies	....	supervising sound editor
Jim Greenhorn	....	sound mixer
Gareth Llewellyn	....	assistant sound mixer
Christine Morton	....	sound trainee
Chu Li Shewring	....	assistant sound editor (as Chu-Li Shewring)
Jack Stew	....	foley artist
Andrew Stirk	....	sound re-recording mixer
Graeme Stoten	....	adr recordist
Jason Swanscott	....	foley artist
David Turner	....	sound project coordinator (as Dave Turner)
Justin Wilkinson	....	sound maintenance engineer
Thom Berryman	....	assistant dubbing mixer (uncredited)
Thom Berryman	....	sound transfer engineer (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Barney Jordan	....	visual effects: The Farm

Stunts
Gary Connery	....	stunt coordinator
Ben Cooke	....	stunt performer
Aldonio Danny Freitas	....	stunt performer (as Aldonio Freitas)
Gareth Milne	....	stunt coordinator
Justin Pearson	....	stunt performer
Charles Ramsay	....	stunt performer (as Charlie Ramsey)
Andy Wareham	....	stunt performer
William Willoughby	....	stunt performer (as Will Willoughby)
Andy Wareham	....	stunt double: Boy A @ 17 (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Richie Donnelly	....	focus puller
Steve Gartside	....	electrician
Richard Griffiths	....	grip
Lee Howarth	....	stand-by rigger
Tony Hughes	....	electrician
Ian Jackson	....	rigging gaffer
Wayne Mansell	....	generator operator
Ed Miller	....	still photographer
Daniel Nightingale	....	camera assistant (as Dan Nightingale)
Daniel Nightingale	....	camera trainee (as Dan Nightingale)
Matilda Smith	....	clapper loader
Laurie Sparham	....	still photographer
John Taylor	....	Steadicam operator
Roger Tooley	....	Steadicam operator
William Tracey	....	gaffer
Anthony Ward	....	grip
David Williamson	....	video playback operator

Casting Department
Alice Searby	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Shahida Day	....	costume supervisor (as Shaida Day)
Victoria Lambe	....	costume trainee
Jane Marcantonio	....	costume assistant

Editorial Department
Tonia Cohen	....	negative checker: Reel Skill Film Cutting
Andrew Dearnley	....	digital film supervisor
Ian Dood	....	digital intermediate director of production: The Farm
Aidan Farrell	....	colorist: The Farm
Marya Goga	....	editorial administrator: Channel Four
David Klafkowski	....	digital intermediate technical director: The Farm
Justin Lanchbury	....	film transfer consultant
Alan Pritt	....	film transfer coordinator
Fiona DeSouza	....	first assistant editor (uncredited)
Clyde Kellett	....	on-line editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Simon Allen	....	musician
Arthur Dick	....	musician
Liz Gallacher	....	music supervisor
Paul Higgs	....	musician
Steve Parr	....	music re-recording mixer
Joe Townshend	....	musician

Transportation Department
Dave Armforth	....	driver: makeup truck
Andrew Devlin	....	driver: costume truck
Matt Evans	....	driver: camera truck
Craig Humphries	....	transportation captain
Martin Koen	....	driver: prop

Other crew
James Armitage	....	legal services: Lee & Thompson
Andrew Braithwaite	....	paramedic
Marianne P. Buckland	....	legal and compliance: Channel Four
Andrew Buglass	....	floor runner
Stephen Cheers	....	location scout
Julie Clyne	....	paramedic
Martin Conisbee	....	chef (as Marti Consibee)
Anna Davis	....	finance director: Cuba Pictures
Craig Dickson	....	head of legal: Cuba Pictures
Jeremy Gawade	....	legal services: Lee & Thompson
Tammy Gouldesbrough	....	chaperone
Claire Harrison	....	assistant accountant
Elaine Harrison	....	production accountant
Julie Hodgson	....	chaperone
Rachel Jones	....	production secretary
Valerie Jones	....	chaperone
John Kerron	....	title designer: The Farm
Helene Lenszner	....	location manager
Colin Lewin	....	finance director: Cuba Pictures
Shelley Love	....	choreographer
Paul McCallister	....	clips: Channel Four
Bronwyn McConville	....	assistant to commercial affairs: Channel Four
Sarah McWhinney	....	finance director: Cuba Pictures
Alison Morrison	....	chef
James Muirhead	....	location scout
Claire Newton	....	assistant location manager
Claire Oakley	....	assistant: John Crowley
Rebecca O'Connor	....	commercial affairs: Channel Four
Tracey Pearce	....	chaperone
Natasha Pilbrow	....	legal services: Lee & Thompson
Sue Bruce Smith	....	commercial development: Channel Four, Film4 (as Sue Bruce-Smith)
Hilary Stewart	....	commercial affairs: Channel Four
Emma Thomas	....	script supervisor
Selina Ukwuoma	....	finance director: Cuba Pictures
Kathryn Williams	....	head of commercial affairs: Channel Four
Jenny Winston	....	runner

Production Companies

• Cuba Pictures
• Film Four (production company)

Distributors

• Noble Entertainment (2009) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• ABC Distribution (2008) (Belgium) (all media)
• Channel Four (2007) (UK) (TV)
• Cine Qua Non Films (2008) (Japan) (all media)
• Cinemien (2008) (Luxembourg) (all media)
• Cinemien (2008) (Netherlands) (all media)
• Future Film (2009) (Finland) (DVD)
• Golden Village Entertainment (2008) (Singapore) (all media)
• Homescreen (2009) (Belgium) (DVD)
• Homescreen (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Midget Entertainment (2009) (Denmark) (all media)
• Motion Picture Distribution (2008) (Canada) (all media)
• Noble Entertainment (2009) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Noble Entertainment (2009) (Sweden) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Odeon (2007) (Greece) (all media)
• Pyramide Distribution (2009) (France) (all media)
• Senator Film (2008) (Germany) (all media)
• Sundream Motion Pictures (2008) (Hong Kong) (all media)
• Weinstein Company, The (2008) (USA) (all media)

Other Companies

• ARRI Media  camera and grip equipment
• ARRI Media Rental  lighting supplies
• Action Cars  cars
• All England Caterers  catering
• Bickers Action Vehicles  low loader (as Bickers Action)
• Cutting Edge Group  music services
• EPL  cherry picker
• EuroKids & Adults International Casting and Model Agency  extras casting
• Farm Group, The  digital intermediate (as The Farm)
• Fujifilm  camera stock
• Gadbury Casting  extras casting
• HSC  facility vehicles
• Hear No Evil Studios  music re-recording facilities (as Hear No Evil)
• Lee & Thompson  legal services
• Media Insurance Brokers  insurance
• Offline Editing Co.  editing equipment (as Offline Editing)
• Prestige Chauffeur Services  unit cars
• Reel Skill Film Cutting  negative cutting
• Sapex Scripts  post-production script
• Shoot NI  walkies
• That's a Wrap! Craft Service & Catering  camera consumables (as That's a Wrap)
• Videosonics Cinema Sound  sound re-recording (as Videosonics)

MPAA:

Rated R for language, sexuality, some disturbing content and brief drug use.

Runtime:

106 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Canada:14A | USA:R | Singapore:M18 | South Korea:18 | Sweden:11 | Finland:K-15 | Germany:12 | Australia:MA

Filming Locations:

Manchester, Greater Manchester, England, UK

Company:

Cuba Pictures

Movie Connections:

Features A Place in the Sun (1951)

Soundtrack:

The Warning

Good but dark

A young man is released from prison after being incarcerated since he was a child. His attempts to adjust to the outside world aren't always successful.

This isn't a feel good movie about a struggle for redemption or the effects of rehabilitation. This is a dark, gritty and realistic view of how things could be for a person newly released after a horrible crime.

There isn't a lot of graphic bloodshed; most of that is implied instead of being played for shock value. That's good; this movie doesn't need any more shock value than is already portrayed. You aren't particularly encouraged to sympathize with the ex-con, nor are you encouraged to condemn him. Instead the film makes you an objective observer to his trials and tribulations, his attempts to get into society with as little trouble as possible, the reactions of people who know and work with him.