Overview
A breathtaking journey through a child's eyes reveals the beauty and challenges of the world.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- whimsical
- melancholic
- dreamy
- family movie night
- animation showcase
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film's visually thrilling distinctive animation and daring storyline, which works for children while carrying deeper resonance for adults.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The child's journey unfolds through imagery, sound, and music with little or no conventional dialogue.
Its distinctive drawn imagery and colorful, simplified character designs filter complex social realities through a child's perspective.
The boy encounters mass production, urban expansion, mechanized labor, and cultural homogenization during his journey.
The boy's exploratory journey gradually exposes him to inequality, technology, environmental damage, and economic massification.
Films like Boy & the World, and why
The Red Turtle
colorful auteur animation, child-centered journey, and accessible environmental and social themes
The Secret of Kells
surreal visual storytelling, minimal dialogue, and a young protagonist confronting a transforming world
Ernest & Celestine
emotionally resonant independent animation that uses music and imagery to explore modern life and human connection
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
family-oriented animated fantasy with vivid design, ecological concerns, and a critique of dehumanizing modernity
Movie Details
- Director
- Alê Abreu
- Release Date
- 2014-01-17
- Runtime
- 80 min
- Rating
- 7.3 / 10 (264)
Cast
- Vinicius Garcia
- Lu Horta
- Marco Aurélio Campos
- Felipe Zilse
- Alê Abreu
- Cassius Romero
- Nestor Chiesse
- Alfredo Rollo
- Patrícia Pichamone
- Melissa Garcia
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Google Play Movies, YouTube
- Buy
- Google Play Movies, YouTube
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Boy & the World about?
- A wordless Brazilian boy’s journey becomes a dazzling, musical fable about nature, industrialization, and the human cost of globalization.
- What is Boy & the World like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Boy & the World as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Boy & the World violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Boy & the World.
- What did critics think of Boy & the World?
- Critics broadly praised the film's visually thrilling distinctive animation and daring storyline, which works for children while carrying deeper resonance for adults.
- Which films are like Boy & the World?
- Films with a similar feel include The Red Turtle, The Secret of Kells, Ernest & Celestine, and Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind.
- How long is Boy & the World?
- Boy & the World runs 80 minutes.
- Where can I watch Boy & the World?
- In United States, Boy & the World is available to rent or buy from Google Play Movies, YouTube.
