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The boys are back - Clive Owen, Emma Booth, Nicholas McAnulty, Scott Hicks

Threat advisory: Elevated - Significant risk of entertaining activities

Movie propaganda

The boys are back tells the story of Joe Warr (Clive Owen) - a dry, cynical British sports journalist who is never short of a quip. He lives the ideal ex-pat lifestyle in regional South Australia with his beautiful Australian wife Katy and their son Artie. When Katy suddenly dies, Joe is left to his own devices with his small son. He really does not know how to cope with his grief or how to bring up a child. His initial response is to spoil Artie rotten but pretty soon Artie is running wild and Joe's parents-in-law are not happy. Joe needs to toughen up and brighten up but he is also trying to juggle his journalism career and there doesn't seem to be enough room for anything else. When he meets local woman Laura, there is an instant attraction but Joe can't seem to let go of the past and open himself up to another woman. Meanwhile, his teenage son Harry (George MacKay), from a previous marriage, has arrived from the UK and has landed on his doorstep. So now he has to look after two boys, one a teenager who doesn't particularly like him. Joe needs to learn how to become a father and not a friend.

Theatrical propaganda posters

The boys are back theatrical one sheet image

Target demographic movie keyword propaganda

Film Australia drama UK single father parent death grief true story biography child divorce family

Persons of interest

Clive Owen .... Joe Warr
Laura Fraser .... Katy Warr
George MacKay .... Harry Warr
Emma Lung .... Mia
Julia Blake .... Barbara
Erik Thomson .... Digby
Emma Booth .... Laura
Natasha Little .... Flick
Nicholas McAnulty .... Artie Warr
Adam Morgan .... Journalist
Alexandra Schepisi .... Mother
Simon Carr .... Author
Allan Cubitt .... Screenwriter
Scott Hicks .... Director

Cinematic intelligence sources

The boys are back official movie sites:

Australia
International

The boys are back film production notes
The boys are back QuickTime movie trailers
Awards and film festivals:

Australian Film Institute (AFI) 2010: Nominated: Best adapted screenplay (Allan Cubitt), Best lead actor (Clive Owen), Best supporting actress (Julia Blake), Members' choice award (Greg Brenman, Tim White)

Studios and distributors:

Hopscotch Films

Intelligence analyst

Special Agent Matti

Theatrical report

Ok girls, get out those tissues: you're gonna need them.

The only thing more attractive than a sexy man is a sexy man with kids and a dead wife. Talk about ovulating on demand. And then there are the foreign genes he's bringing in, improving the local gene pool in what is, and let's be honest, a bit of a backwater: Adelaide. Still, they have some nice scenery.

The best thing about Clive Owen's unprepared single dad is that he doesn't go over to the dark side like Dustin Hoffman's edition in Kramer vs Kramer. He doesn't get tidy, he doesn't get organised, he doesn't get healthy. He stays a bloke. Go, you good thing! That whole masculinity thing adds to the rawness of the movie because our protagonist has to cope with having his heart ripped out while somehow raising two boys in need of their father's attention. Like I said, take your tissues.

The Australia, drama, UK movie The boys are back is directed by Scott Hicks and stars Clive Owen, Emma Booth, Nicholas McAnulty.

Public response

Adelaide a bit of a backwater!!! Has your reviewer ever been there. It is clearly the centre of intelligence and art in Australia. Hardly a backwater. Why did such luminaries as JM Coetzee and Ben Folds decide to live in Adelaide as does Scott Hicks if it is a backwater? Get more knowledgeable reviewers if you want to be taken seriously.

Agent response

Thanks for your email. No, I have never been to SA (or the NT). Adelaide may have a lot going for it but in world terms, it is a small city in a small state. Famous people live there but they "commute" to other places to do their work. Note that my review says "a bit of a backwater", implying that Adelaide is not the epitome of backwaterness but certainly has qualities thereof. I was born and raised at the end of a rail line (a line which no longer exists!) so I have lots of experience of this.