This Boy's Life DVD (1993)

This Boy's Life

1993

Overall rating: 3.5 out of 5

from 3013 members

Memoir-based drama about a teenage boy and his abusive stepfather starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro. Toby (DiCaprio), based on author Tobias Wolff, and his mother, Caroline (Ellen Barkin), are an unsettled pair. Toby's father left them when the boy was young and the abusive behaviour of Caroline's latest boyfriend forces them to move cities. When she is seduced by the charming figure of Dwight Hansen (De Niro) their luck appears to have changed: Dwight offers to take in the troubled Toby while Caroline sorts her life out. Dwight, however, turns out to be a vicious disciplinarian, who argues furiously with the rebellious Toby. The boy's dreams of escape grow as the violence of his stepfather increases, but can he find a way out before it's too late?

This Boy's Life details

Format:	15 DVD
Starring:	Eliza Dushku, Jonah Blechman, Ellen Barkin, Ellen Barkin, Tobey Maguire, Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro
Director:	Michael Caton-Jones
Genre:	Drama - General
Studio:	METRODOME DISTRIBUTION

DVD 1 disc

Name	Discs
This Boy's Life	15 Feature

DVD Information

Run time:	1 hour 50 minutes
Rental release:	Currently unavailable
Main languages:	English

Write your own review

Most helpful review This Boy's Life

Must See

By weathered from Derbyshire , 11 Jul 2004

[Highly rated reviewer]

I'm not really a DiCaprio fan but his part in This boys life is excellent. He plays a teenage boy being moved around by his mother.

I found this film very moving with some parts quite shocking.

The fight scene in the kitchen between step father and step son was class.

Thumbs up
- Was this review helpful to you?
- (12) Yes |
- No (2)
Report this review

All reviews

(17)

Sort by:

Superb performance

By a customer from Redhill , 05 May 2008

a fantastic movie. a bit depressing plot: things go from bad to worse pretty much all the time. the performance though, of young Leonardo especially, is abslotuely fantastic. already then, as a 13-14year-old, he was a super-star.
- Was this review helpful to you?
- (1) Yes |
- No (0)
Report this review
This Boy's Life

By Venerable (10 reviews) from Twickenham , 27 Mar 2008

This is a gem. Leonardo Di Caprio is never less than charismatic, but in this, his movie breakthrough (age 17?) we are treated to a taste of things to come. Di Caprio carries the film on his shoulders with a great coming-of-age performance full of angst, self-pity, anger and indignation. It really is a beautiful performance, and the fact that it is his performance that sears in to the memory when he is acting alongside Robert De Niro and Ellen Barkin, says it all. It was darker and more intense than you might expect - in fact having watched it I have decided it is definitely not one that my 12 and 14 year olds are quite ready for. It has a rich sense of period, and an engaging cameo from Jonah Blechman as Di Caprio's unconventional soulmate. Now I've got to see Di Caprio's subsequent movie, What's Eating Gilbert Grape. I would have given this 3 stars but for Di Caprio's brilliance.
- Was this review helpful to you?
- (1) Yes |
- No (0)
Report this review
excellent

By alcav (91 reviews) from CANNOCK , 08 Mar 2008

A must see film.Robert Dinero was 1st class as was all of the cast,a good solid story.
- Was this review helpful to you?
- (0) Yes |
- No (0)
Report this review
entertaining

By a customer from england , 29 Sep 2007

easy to watch and to follow story
- Was this review helpful to you?
- (0) Yes |
- No (0)
Report this review
Superb

By a customer from London , 03 Jul 2007

That's what it's called acting. Leonardo is amazing in this film, a great actor and De Niro is brilliant too.

I loved the film ,every minute of it. I couldn't take my eyes off Leonardo in this film.

The story is great,acting is brilliant. Excellent film. you should watch it. Very convincing.
- Was this review helpful to you?
- (1) Yes |
- No (0)
Report this review