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December Boys By Harry Forbes Catholic News Service NEW YORK (CNS) -- "December Boys" (Warner Independent) is an intensely moving coming-of-age drama set in 1960s' Australia as four teenage boys from a convent orphanage -- nicknamed Maps (Daniel Radcliffe), Spark (Christian Byers), Spit (James Fraser) and the youngest boy, Misty (Lee Cormie) -- are sent on holiday. They will board with an elderly couple, retired navel offer Bandy McAnsh (Jack Thompson) and his wife, Skipper (Kris McQuade) -- who, we eventually learn, is dying of cancer -- by the seaside. In their exploration of the lush, wonderfully bracing world around them, they come to learn that the childless couple nearby -- a daredevil motorcyclist known as Fearless (Sullivan Stapleton) and his French wife, Teresa (Victoria Hill) -- may adopt one of them. Misty overhears the wondrous news first, and selfishly tries to keep it from the others, but during confession with Father Scully (Frank Gallacher), he learns that he must be honest, leading to all four boys trying to outdo the others in ingratiating themselves with the young couple. The rivalry tests their deep friendship. There's also a crotchety fisherman character, Shellback (Ralph Cotterill), who spends his days hoping to catch an enormous, elusive fish named Henry. When the fish is finally felled by one of the boys, the old man's stunned and tragic reaction to the sight of the aquatic Holy Grail he's been seeking all his life sums up the emotional tenor of the film. Radcliffe successfully steps out of his Harry Potter role to play this sensitive youth who's headed for a major disillusionment, precipitating the events that fuel the film's climax. But all the performances are well-nigh perfect. Director Rod Hardy's adaptation of Michael Noonan's novel has, as you might imagine, a strong Catholic underpinning. The adult Misty narrates the story, and he explains right at the start how he came to feel that Our Lady chose him for a very special mission. The clerical characters -- the Reverend Mother (Judi Farr) and Father Scully -- are, refreshingly, portrayed positively. There's even a bona fide miracle which we won't spoil. Other pluses are David Connell's majestic cinematography of the lush South Australian locales, and Carlo Giacco's apt score. There is some very discreet partial nudity, as when the boys watch a topless Teresa emerge from a swim (heavily in shadow), and later undress and look with wonder at some lingerie advertisements. They also engage in some surreptitious drinking and smoking, both at the convent and while they're on holiday, and there's a plot strand involving Maps' relationship with a local girl, Lucy (Teresa Palmer), who shows him the facts of life (mostly implied not shown, apart from some clothed fumbling). The film doesn't linger on these elements and presents them as a common part of adolescence. But overall Marc Rosenberg's script presents an uncannily truthful portrayal of adolescence and the exemplary decency of all the characters (even Lucy speaks reverently of those who are called by God). The film is acceptable -- indeed, recommended -- for mature teens, as the story touches on major life passages and offers a highly compassionate worldview. The joyful, but bittersweet, coda is guaranteed to set the tear ducts flowing. The film contains an instance of crude language, mild profanity, dim upper female nudity, brief rear nudity, a clothed, nonexplicit sexual encounter, and brief underage drinking and smoking. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 -- parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13. - - - Forbes is director of the Office for Film & Broadcasting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. More reviews are available online at www.usccb.org/movies. END Copyright (c) 2007 Catholic News Service/USCCB. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed. CNS · 3211 Fourth St NE · Washington DC 20017 · 202.541.3250 |
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