Overview
A young boy's imagination collides with reality when his estranged father returns, bringing chaos and unexpected adventures.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- offbeat
- warm
- wistful
- lazy sunday
- family movie night
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film's offbeat New Zealand charm, emotionally engaging coming-of-age story, pitch-perfect tone, and central performances.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Boy imagines Alamein as a heroic figure and must reconcile that fantasy with his father's incompetence and criminal motives.
Rocky's supposed magic powers, Boy's fantasies, and Alamein's inept behavior repeatedly place innocence against flawed adulthood.
The film centers on Maori children and family life on a New Zealand farm in 1984.
Boy lives without his father and carries the loss of his mother while waiting for Alamein's return.
Films like Boy, and why
Hunt for the Wilderpeople
warmly comic coming-of-age storytelling, childlike imagination, and bittersweet family dynamics
The Apartment
offbeat humor, vulnerable children, and emotionally grounded dysfunctional family relationships
Whale Rider
nostalgic childhood perspective, rural community setting, and a blend of comedy with grief
The Mighty
eccentric humor, tender father-son conflict, and a distinctive indigenous cultural setting
Movie Details
- Director
- Taika Waititi
- Release Date
- 2010-03-25
- Runtime
- 88 min
- Rating
- 7.3 / 10 (509)
Cast
- James Rolleston
- Te Aho Aho Eketone-Whitu
- Taika Waititi
- Moerangi Tihore
- Cherilee Martin
- RickyLee Waipuka-Russell
- Haze Reweti
- Maakariini Butler
- Rajvinder Eria
- Manihera Rangiuaia
Where to watch in United States
- 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 Boy about?
- A Maori farm boy’s heroic fantasy of his absent father collides with the messy reality of an inept criminal homecoming.
- What is Boy like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Boy as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Boy violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Boy as mild.
- What did critics think of Boy?
- Critics broadly praised the film's offbeat New Zealand charm, emotionally engaging coming-of-age story, pitch-perfect tone, and central performances.
- Which films are like Boy?
- Films with a similar feel include Hunt for the Wilderpeople, The Apartment, Whale Rider, and The Mighty.
- How long is Boy?
- Boy runs 88 minutes.
- Where can I watch Boy?
- In United States, Boy is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
