The Boys Are Back, without Thin Lizzy.
He's not so good at it, but he errs on the side of reckless child-rearing, a "let boys be boys" mentality that simultaneously serves him well and causes the majority of his problems. The kids, meanwhile, are changing and reacting in their own ways, often painful to watch for those of us who've been there.
The film is beautifully shot and shows tantalizing glimpses of Australian wine country, beaches, and city life. But the script (or direction) often seems at a loss when deciding where to go next and the audience is left with an opening hour that is repetitive without just cause.
The time could have been used to get a little further into the head of Owen's character. We are stung by his pain and struggle at different points in the film but, with but two exceptions, these are just superficial glimpses.
Owen fares quite well here. We get the sense he's still finding his niche in the world of independent film after a few breakout roles that showed rare potential.
The kids' performances are strong, if sometimes forced, in a story that is often tough to sit through and probably doesn't give you enough back in return. I mean, they didn't even get the license for the actual song from "Irish Hard Rock Band" Thin Lizzy. Here, we can fix that.
The Boys Are Back opens Friday, October 2, at Regal Arbor.
