The Boys(1998)

I rarely watch Australian films but I think they have a way of delivering raw narratives and The Boys is no exception. I’d been warned about its intensity, but nothing really prepared me for the darkness that was about to unfold.

Synopsis(spoilers? not today)

The film follows Brett Sprague, recently released from prison, as he returns to his family’s home. The home is a quintessential dysfunctional setting, a rundown suburban house where his two brothers, Glenn and Stevie, along with their partners, hang around in a limbo of poverty and stagnation. Brett, a few hours later, reasserts his dominance over the household and tensions rise, and his influence slowly pulls his brothers into a spiral of violent chaos.

The plot unfolds in a manner that builds tension slowly, focusing on toxic masculinity, power dynamics as well as the brutal reality of those living on the fringes of society. The climax is hinted at early on, with an impending horrific crime but it’s the psychological unraveling leading up to that moment that grips you.

My Review and Rating

I have to give credit where it’s due. The performances in this film are solid. David Wenham as Brett is chilling. Trust me when I say the way he holds an unnerving gaze, controls a room with a soft spoken threat and exudes an underlying sense of violence is topnotch. Also, the tension he builds is palpable and honestly, I had to remind myself to breathe a few times.

The cinematography is appropriately claustrophobic with most of the film taking place within the confines of the dingy household. It makes you feel trapped, just like the characters. It’s also gritty and it’s uncomfortable, but that’s what the filmmakers were going for, I guess. In that respect, they nailed it.

But… here comes the funny part. I don’t know if it’s just me, but I felt like I was watching a family reunion where everyone secretly hated each other and no one had the guts to say it out loud. And look, I know the film is about toxic masculinity, but I found myself wondering if these guys ever heard of, you know, ‘therapy?’ I mean, just one session. That's all it would take to make everyone at least ‘try’ talking their issues out instead of smashing stuff and making each other's lives a living hell.

Now, here’s my personal beef: The pacing. I get that the filmmakers wanted to build tension, but man, some of the scenes felt like they were dragging on just to show us how miserable these people are. We get it, they’re dysfunctional, but do we really need 15 minutes of Brett sitting in silence, glaring at a wall, before something happens? I mean, come on, I was half expecting a houseplant in the background to start a monologue just to break the boring silence.

Also, let’s not even get started on the way everyone in this family seems to have an unlimited supply of cigarettes. I swear, every five seconds someone was lighting up, and I couldn’t help but think, “Forget about the crime they’re planning; these guys are going to have to deal with some serious lung issues!”

Anyway, *The Boys is an intense watch. It’s not exactly a “feel-good” cinema, but it’s powerful and haunting. The psychological manipulation and tension between the brothers are well executed and the performances heighten what could have been a slow burn into something more impactful. However, be prepared for a few moments where you’ll be begging for someone to just take a walk outside, get some fresh air and maybe, just maybe, “talk it out” for once.

Would I recommend it? Sure, if you’re in the mood for something dark and heavy, and you don’t mind the occasional stretch of awkward silence. Just be prepared to feel like you need a long shower afterward to wash off all that grime. Both literal and metaphorical.

I'll rate this one a 3.5/5. Fair enough. Wink.