The Boys Are Back
After tragedy makes him a single father, a sports writer struggles to turn improvised parenting into a new family life.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- melancholic
- intimate
- sincere
- reflective evening
- family drama night
What critics said
Critics broadly praised Clive Owen and the child performances for giving emotional credibility to a conventional bereavement melodrama.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Joe Warr becomes a single parent after his wife's death and must learn to raise his sons alone.
The plot follows Joe's attempt to balance sports journalism with full-time care of Harry and his younger son.
The critical consensus specifically describes the film as a melodrama saved from sappiness by its performances.
The story is associated with South Australia and Adelaide, where Joe rebuilds family life after loss.
Films like The Boys Are Back, and why
Kramer vs. Kramer
shared themes of single parenthood, grief, and rebuilding family life through emotionally grounded drama
The Descendants
shared focus on widowed or bereaved parenthood, difficult children, and intimate domestic resilience
Life Is Beautiful
shared true-story family drama, parental responsibility, and a father's struggle to care for children after loss
Rabbit Hole
shared melancholy, parenthood, and emotionally direct domestic storytelling centered on family adaptation
Movie Details
- Director
- Scott Hicks
- Release Date
- 2009-09-25
- Runtime
- 104 min
- Rating
- 6.3 / 10 (200)
Cast
- Clive Owen
- Laura Fraser
- Emma Booth
- George MacKay
- Emma Lung
- Natasha Little
- Julia Blake
- Nicholas McAnulty
- Chris Haywood
- Lewis Fitz-Gerald
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- History Vault
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Boys Are Back about?
- After tragedy makes him a single father, a sports writer struggles to turn improvised parenting into a new family life.
- What is The Boys Are Back like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Boys Are Back as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Boys Are Back violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in The Boys Are Back.
- What did critics think of The Boys Are Back?
- Critics broadly praised Clive Owen and the child performances for giving emotional credibility to a conventional bereavement melodrama.
- Which films are like The Boys Are Back?
- Films with a similar feel include Kramer vs. Kramer, The Descendants, Life Is Beautiful, and Rabbit Hole.
- How long is The Boys Are Back?
- The Boys Are Back runs 104 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Boys Are Back?
- In United States, The Boys Are Back streams on History Vault.
