Borstal Boy (2000)

Borstal Boy is a pleasant but formulaic coming-of-age movie that seems too sentimental and devoid of irony for its gritty subject matter. Shawn Hatosy gives an acceptable performance as Brendan, but the character is too easygoing and bland, particularly considering what's known about his real-life counterpart, and his time in a reform school seems too much like a stay in summer camp (except, of course, for the obligatory escape attempt). Granted, there are some deviations from the standard movie storyline; for example, Brendan is infatuated with the school master's daughter, of course, but he also has a sexually ambiguous friendship with a gay inmate. This produces some tension, but not as much inner turmoil as you might expect for someone with Brendan's background. Perhaps this unwillingness to delve too deeply into Brendan's psyche is one reason why the film fails to provide much insight into his creative mind as it addresses the development of his interest in writing. Instead, the movie sticks doggedly to a cozy triumph-over-adversity plot without generating much dramatic tension. It's not a bad movie, but it's a bit slow and nothing special. ~ Todd Kristel, All Movie Guide