Movie

Borstal Boy

2001 · 91 min

A quiet, earnest coming-of-age confinement drama where youthful bravado slowly gives way to tender self-discovery.

Tagline: As a prisoner of war it is my duty to escape.
Overview: Brendan Behan, a sixteen year-old IRA foot soldier, is going on a bombing mission from Ireland to Liverpool during the second world war. His mission is thwarted when he is apprehended, charged and imprisoned in Borstal, a reform institution for young offenders in East Anglia, England.
How it feels: Melancholic, tense, earnest and warm. Measured and needs your attention.
About: Identity, coming-of-age, isolation, friendship
Content: Mild violence, sexual content and language. No gore.
Note: Written by AI, so it can be wrong. Full breakdown

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Free in the US

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Written by AI. It can be wrong.

Full breakdown

Tone: melancholicstrength 2 of 3
tensestrength 2 of 3
earneststrength 2 of 3
warmstrength 1 of 3
Pacing: measured, 2 of 4, from slow-burn to relentless
Attention: engaged, 3 of 4, from background-friendly to demanding
Themes: identity
coming-of-age
isolation
friendship
sexuality
Places: prison
countryside
Era: period
Audience: adult
Form: true story
Content intensity: Gore none
Language mild
Violence mild
Sex mild