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ACTOR
Kyle WardIan HartLouise DelamereSacha Parkinson
DIRECTOR
Brian Percival
SYNOPSICS
A Boy Called Dad (2009) is a English movie. Brian Percival has directed this movie. Kyle Ward,Ian Hart,Louise Delamere,Sacha Parkinson are the starring of this movie. It was released in 2009. A Boy Called Dad (2009) is considered one of the best Drama movie in India and around the world.
When he becomes a father at the tender age of 14, Robbie's life quickly spirals out of control. Feeling angry and neglected by his own dad, he kick-starts a series of events that will catapult him at great speed into adulthood.
A Boy Called Dad (2009) Trailers
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A Boy Called Dad (2009) Reviews
Poetry and reality - 'A Boy Called Dad' has it all
You know what THEY say, don't you. THEY say start with a joke and "A Boy Called Dad" starts with belly laugh. With a great running gag of an unseen conversation coming from a bus stop as the boy of the title becomes a dad (at least from a conception point of view) the film hits the ground running. The film speeds through the aftermath of this scene with a distant first love's waters breaking in the classroom and confused Robbie's reaction to being a father. The fast paced narrative is handled cleverly and doesn't miss any required beats to get the story on its feet. "A Boy Called Dad" has an appropriate 'say what you see' title telling the story of Robbie (Kyle Ward) an abandoned son, reunited with a wayward father Joe (the fabulous Ian Hart) and the feelings that evokes for the 14 year old new dad. I saw this film as a part of the Salford Film Festival on Friday the 20th of November this year. After the bus stop conception, the first act is about the happenstance meeting of Robbie and his wastrel dad Joe, a compulsive liar and gambler. They rediscover their relationship, bonded by the one perfect moment in their past. One perfect day when Robbie, Joe and his mum enjoyed a traditional family holiday at a North Wales seaside town. The fact that this memory is also the moment when Joe walked out on them, apparently for good, makes the memory all the more bitter sweet. Ian Hart employs all of his considerable charm to make Joe realistically compelling as the man who constantly bottles his responsibilities but is still believably loved. A telling scene of Joe turning tail at the hospital door of his father's deathbed tells you all you need to know about Joe's propensity to chicken out at the moments when he's most needed to be strong. And now, for the spoilersÂ… Inevitably, he bails on Robbie and growing love turns to disillusionment and anger at the dad who could never be relied on. Running in parallel is the story Leanne, the mother of his son, with an older and more menacing boyfriend snarling at Robbie to keep his distance. When Joe inevitably leaves a trail of lies and hurt in his wake when he runs away from problems that come with being the father of a troubled 14 year old, it prompts Robbie to go on a voyage with his own son. His voyage begins badly with a tragic accident after an altercation with his son's bad lad adoptive dad. He chooses to run away with his son to the one place he felt safe in his past. The story begins anew as Robbie must struggle with the realities of fatherhood, the problems of getting food and shelter whilst on the run from the police. Changing his first nappy becomes an epic struggle and film does not shy away from the real experience that a demanding baby can bring. Robbie's mum and Leanne cling to each other in fear for Robbie and son. Joe finally faces up to his responsibility's as he's the only one with the vital clue that can locate his Robbie and his grandson. Whilst seeking shelter in a barn Robbie encounters a mute girl Nia (Charlene McKenna) on an isolated Welsh farm with a troubled history of her own. The film explores themes of loss and hope; fatherhood (both traditional and teen pregnancy) and responsibility; family and loyalty; innocence and blooming sexuality with the penetrating naturalism of Ken Loach and the lyrical poetic visuals of Terence Malick or Yimou Zhang. Credit must go to both director Brian Percival and DoP David Katznelson for the sensitive use of light and setting. A scene that particularly stands out is a painful moment amongst the long grass between Robbie and Nia as she uses his need to remain hidden to exorcise a ghost from her past. Praise must also go to a beautiful cast troupe of actors who never miss nor misstep a single beat of this perceptive drama. Special mention should go to Kyle Ward, who manages troubled, desperate, funny, warm and angry with all the skill of an actor well beyond his years. One thing is certain. Without Ian Hart's ability to make the cowardly bad father Joe into a hilarious lovable rogue, the film would fall at an early hurdle. We want him to be the dad Robbie deserves and Hart treads the fine line between charm and tragedy beautifully. Special mention also for Charlene McKenna's Nia, whose tragic past caused her initial voiceless nature and whose chance meeting with Robbie gives her the opportunity to face and deal with that past. Her silence is incredibly eloquent in Charlene's hands and her story is the bedrock of the second act of this film. If I have criticisms of this film it would be that the story does drift on to new themes with the inclusion of Nia. The core story of Robbie's journey of discovery of the reality of fatherhood takes somewhat of a back seat when her character appears. Her story is, however, so mysterious and compelling that the diversion isn't necessarily an unhappy one. The climax of the film is surprising, heart warming and heartbreaking in equal measures. This film manages to tread a fine line between realism and melodrama and fuses naturalism and poetic visuals so successfully. I laughed, I cried and I thought. What more could you ask for.
A film about a boy neglected by his father out to prove he won't do the same!
This film is not something I would purposely seek out to watch, it isn't something that would catch my eye if I stumbled on the trailer, but it is something that I am glad to have been shown to. I only watched this as part of my exam preparation for Media Studies and I honestly think it is one of the most eye opening things I have ever seen. It covers issues that are very much alive today and really gets to the raw emotion of the situation Robbie is placed in. The film is incredibly well made and I seriously recommend that people go out and buy it, I promise that you will like it, even if you don't expect that you will. A Boy Called Dad proves the potential that independent film makers have and has blasted a massive hole in the market to be filled with feature films just like this that are hugely successful in doing what they do and are just as worthy of viewers as big Hollywood films we all go to see.
An affecting film that will stay with you long after you've left the cinema
You don't have to have a child yourself to feel the emotion seeping out of every frame of this affecting film - everyone will relate to the themes of regret, responsibility and second chances. A great performance by Kyle Ward, for his first film role he shows a real depth of emotion and surprising subtlety at times and Ian Hart in the role of his absent father is great as always. An emotionally charged, and in places extremely funny, script combined with some breathtaking cinematography lift 'A Boy Called Dad' above many of its contemporaries. The result is a film that won't just tug at the heart strings, but will shear right through them. A simple story told with honesty and integrity; one that will stay with you long after you've left the cinema.
Worth seeing- great Performances
Saw this film as part of the Best of the Fest in Edinburgh Film Festival. Whilst it has its flaws (particularly re the lack of representation of any real women characters) this is more than made up for by main story (which focuses on the Dads) which is moving and captivating and the performance of newcomer Kyle Ward (Robbie) alongside Ian Hart as his Dad. The film centres upon fatherhood and whether the chain of bad dads can be broken by Robbie. His interaction with his young baby son, inspired by his own treatment by his dad is especially moving, as is the reaction of the Welsh girl (Nia) he meets on the run with her own father. Definitely worth seeing especially if you have kids or intend to have them and fancy a cry!
Beautiful, heartwarming and moving.
Have just come back from the Edinburgh Film Festival and having seen lots of films there, including the more popular, bigger budget films, this one really stands out as something special. Whilst watching the film I cried with laughter and cried with heartfelt emotion for the characters and their excellent portrayal of their situation. Brilliant acting and gorgeous scenery and camera work. I defy anyone to see this film and not enjoy it! Ian hart, as always, gives a very special, genuine performance but the most surprising performance is the effort put forward from the young lad who plays the teenage dad who goes on the run with his son. It's so heartening to see a depiction of teenage dads which isn't so incredibly negative. I didn't know what to expect but I can know say that I'm so glad to have seen this film.