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The Boys Are Back

The Boys Are Back

Drama · 2009

When the wife of sports-writer Joe Warr dies of cancer, he takes on the responsibility of raising their 6-year-old son, and his teenage son from a previous marriage. As Joe rejects the counsel of his mother-in-law and other parents, he develops his own philosophies on parenting.

Movie details

The Boys Are Back

“Inspired by a true story.”

2009 Drama 1h 44m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.3 / 10

Community rating

When the wife of sports-writer Joe Warr dies of cancer, he takes on the responsibility of raising their 6-year-old son, and his teenage son from a previous marriage. As Joe rejects the counsel of his mother-in-law and other parents, he develops his own philosophies on parenting.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over The Boys Are Back?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Homestead

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I Never Sang for My Father

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The Glass Castle

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Scott Hicks

Clive Owen

Clive Owen

Joe Warr

Laura Fraser

Laura Fraser

Katy Warr

Emma Booth

Emma Booth

Laura

George MacKay

George MacKay

Harry Warr

Emma Lung

Emma Lung

Mia

Natasha Little

Natasha Little

Flick

Julia Blake

Julia Blake

Barbara

Court is in session

Put The Boys Are Back on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Prestige Tourist

“Sincerity is not manipulation.”

The film risks embarrassment to make emotion communal, and that openness is harder than fashionable detachment.

The prosecution The Adrenaline Seeker

“The strings are showing.”

Every cue tells you exactly what to feel and when, leaving sentiment to do the work character should have done.