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Borstal Boy

Borstal Boy

Drama · 2001

Brendan Behan, a sixteen year-old IRA foot soldier, is going on a bombing mission from Ireland to Liverpool during the second world war. His mission is thwarted when he is apprehended, charged and imprisoned in Borstal, a reform institution for young offenders in East Anglia, England.

Movie details

Borstal Boy

“As a prisoner of war it is my duty to escape.”

2001 Drama 1h 31m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.2 / 10

Community rating

Brendan Behan, a sixteen year-old IRA foot soldier, is going on a bombing mission from Ireland to Liverpool during the second world war. His mission is thwarted when he is apprehended, charged and imprisoned in Borstal, a reform institution for young offenders in East Anglia, England.

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 Borstal Boy?

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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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Peter Sheridan

Written by

Nye Heron · Peter Sheridan

Shawn Hatosy

Shawn Hatosy

Brendan Behan

Danny Dyer

Danny Dyer

Charlie Milwall

Robin Laing

Robin Laing

Jock

Ian McElhinney

Ian McElhinney

Verreker

Eva Birthistle

Eva Birthistle

Liz Joyce

Mark Huberman

Mark Huberman

Mac

Lee Ingleby

Lee Ingleby

Dale

Court is in session

Put Borstal Boy 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.