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Movies / On DVD / This Boy's Life
This Boy's Life

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This Boy's Life (1993)

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95 %
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Reviews Counted:21

Fresh:20

Rotten:1

Average Rating:7/10

Runtime: 1 hr 55 mins

Genre: Dramas

Synopsis: A film based on Tobias Wolff's much-praised autobiography about his troubled youth. Caroline Wolff, divorced and with no job prospects, takes her son Toby on an aimless journey across America.... A film based on Tobias Wolff's much-praised autobiography about his troubled youth. Caroline Wolff, divorced and with no job prospects, takes her son Toby on an aimless journey across America. They stop for a while in several towns, where Caroline gets involved with different men, but they always end up back on the road, running -- until Caroline meets Dwight Hansen, a military man whom she believes will bring stability to their lives and help raise Toby. But Dwight proves to be a sadistic dictator, determined to impose a rigid and cruel discipline on Toby. When the boy finally cannot take it anymore, he looks for any escape... even if it means he'll have to fight Dwight to get out. [More]

Starring: Robert De Niro, Ellen Barkin, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Blechman

Starring: Robert De Niro, Ellen Barkin, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Blechman, Eliza Dushku

Director: Michael Caton-Jones

Director: Michael Caton-Jones

[See More Credits]

Reviews for This Boy's Life

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1 - 20 (sorted by rotten rating; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 >> >|
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
06/24/06
Geoff Andrew
Geoff Andrew
Time Out
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Movieline | comment Comment
01/09/02
Movieline
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Washington Post | comment Comment
01/01/00
Desson Thomson
Desson Thomson
Washington Post
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Rolling Stone | comment Comment
05/12/01
Peter Travers
Peter Travers
Rolling Stone
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Washington Post | comment Comment
01/01/00
Rita Kempley
Rita Kempley
Washington Post
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
06/03/08
Todd McCarthy
Todd McCarthy
Variety
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: New York Times | comment Comment
05/20/03
Vincent Canby
Vincent Canby
New York Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

This Boy's Life is a pencil sketch that pretends to be a full-blown oil painting.

Full Review Source: Deseret News, Salt Lake City | comment Comment
01/01/00
Chris Hicks
Chris Hicks
Deseret News, Salt Lake City

DiCaprio goes toe-to-toe with De Niro, though his spectacular efforts here continue to be overshadowed by his Oscar-baiting in What's Eating Gilbert Grape.

Full Review Source: Film Freak Central | comment Comment
05/11/03
Bill Chambers
Bill Chambers
Film Freak Central

Leonardo DiCaprio, in his first major role, stole this movie right out from under Robert DeNiro's feet. A great coming-of-age tale based on a very good book.

comment Comment
04/28/03
Blake Davis
Blake Davis
KFOR Channel 4 News

No review available.

comment Comment
03/24/07
Brian Tallerico
Brian Tallerico
UGO

No review available.

comment Comment
10/17/03
Carol Cling
Carol Cling
Las Vegas Review-Journal

A powerful, moving picture....Di Caprio and De Niro are a solid combination

comment Comment
04/27/03
Clint Morris
Clint Morris
Moviehole

A powerful if familiar family melodrama with a bravura performance from newcomer Leonardo DiCaprio, who's bound to become a major actor in the future.

Full Review Source: EmanuelLevy.Com | comment Comment
12/31/06
Emanuel Levy
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com

No review available.

comment Comment
03/22/04
Frank Swietek
Frank Swietek
One Guy's Opinion

This Boy's Life shows how a resilient teenager survives childhood trauma and adversity through independence, anger and creativity..

Full Review Source: Spirituality and Practice | comment Comment
05/21/03
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
Spirituality and Practice

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: ReelViews | comment Comment
01/01/00
James Berardinelli
James Berardinelli
ReelViews

Well acted, but bleak and slow-moving.

comment Comment
06/21/05
James Plath
James Plath
DVDTown.com

a compelling character study that is well worth watching just for Dicaprio's performance

Full Review Source: Old School Reviews | comment Comment
10/24/03
John A. Nesbit
John A. Nesbit
Old School Reviews

Involving, but not finally effective

comment Comment
08/21/02
Ken Hanke
Ken Hanke
Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by rotten rating; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 >> >|
all

Latest News for This Boy's Life

October 27, 2005: Levinson & De Niro to Pair Up for Tinseltown Satire
Variety brings news of an intriguing project that's being described as "Wag the Dog" of the moviemaking world." Robert De Niro will play the lead character in... More...

April 19, 2005: Get Ready for Another Dose of "Basic Instinct"
You've heard it mentioned for years, but production is (finally) about to get underway on "Basic Instinct 2: Risk Addiction." A follow-up to Paul Verhoeven's sexual... More...

See All

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