The New Boy main backdrop
The New Boy main poster

The New Boy

Visit website

5.5/10 • 21

2023-07-061h 56m

Drama

In 1940s Australia, a nameless nine-year-old Aboriginal orphan arrives in the dead of night at a remote monastery overseen by a renegade nun, where his presence disturbs its delicately balanced world.

Directors
Warwick Thornton
Writters
Warwick Thornton
Editors
Warwick Thornton, Nick Meyers

Top Billed Cast

View Credits
  1. Cate Blanchett

    Cate Blanchett

    Sister Eileen

  2. Deborah Mailman

    Deborah Mailman

    Sister Mum

  3. Wayne Blair

    Wayne Blair

    George

  4. Aswan Reid

    Aswan Reid

    New Boy

  5. Kenneth Radley

    Kenneth Radley

    Policeman

  6. Shane Mckenzie Brady

    Shane Mckenzie Brady

    Michael

  7. Tyrique Brady

    Tyrique Brady

    Matthew

  8. Laiken Woolmington

    Laiken Woolmington

    David

  9. Kyle Miller

    Kyle Miller

    James

Reviews1

View Reviews
CinemaSerf Avatar

CinemaSerf

Mar 27, 2024

6/10

Set against a backdrop of a strongly colonial and white Australia, we are rather violently introduced to a young, blonde, Aboriginal lad (Aswan Reid) who is conked out by a boomerang and awakens to find himself in the care of "Sister Eileen" (Cate Blanchett) and "Sister Mum" (Deborah Mailman) at a remote orphanage. She is pretty devout and he is very much in tune with nature - both people of faith, but not the same kind. The arrival of a large wooden crucifix to top their altar seems to focus both of them on what now becomes a rather dry and simplistic tale of spirituality. Reid does come across well. There is a spontaneity and naturalness to his performance, but Blanchett over-eggs just about all of the rest of it. She does this type of role well - shorn hair, manic eyes, slightly eccentric characterisation - but here there's just not enough story for her (or us) to get the teeth into. I got the sense that there was something almost "Oliver Twist" about the lad. Blonde? Sent away? Did he have a secret identity? That's not the story, though - and when he suffers his own rather personal misfortune at the end, I felt a rather overwhelming dislike of "Eileen" and her superstition-ridden church. Too be fair, this isn't a film that doesn't provoke a response - but with sparse dialogue and little character development, it's not really much more than a beautifully photographed vehicle for Blanchett to indulge herself and for Reid to be a boy facing a confusing future.

Media

  • The New Boy poster
  • The New Boy poster
  • The New Boy poster
  • The New Boy poster
  • The New Boy poster
  • The New Boy poster
  • The New Boy poster
  • The New Boy poster
  • The New Boy poster

Recommendations

  • Spring Breakers main backdrop

    Spring Breakers

    5.2

  • The King of Algiers main backdrop

    The King of Algiers

    6.0

  • Pearl main backdrop

    Pearl

    7.2

  • Blade Runner 2049 main backdrop

    Blade Runner 2049

    7.6

  • Passengers main backdrop

    Passengers

    7.0

  • The Conjuring main backdrop

    The Conjuring

    7.5

  • The Menu main backdrop

    The Menu

    7.2

  • The Godfather main backdrop

    The Godfather

    8.7

  • Mickey 17 main backdrop

    Mickey 17

    6.9

  • Knives Out main backdrop

    Knives Out

    7.8

  • Puss in Boots: The Last Wish main backdrop

    Puss in Boots: The Last Wish

    8.2

  • The Wild Robot main backdrop

    The Wild Robot

    8.3

  • You Don't Mess with the Zohan main backdrop

    You Don't Mess with the Zohan

    5.7

  • Alien: Romulus main backdrop

    Alien: Romulus

    7.2

  • Sinister main backdrop

    Sinister

    6.9

  • A Trip to the Moon main backdrop

    A Trip to the Moon

    7.9

  • Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood main backdrop

    Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood

    7.4

  • Thor: Love and Thunder main backdrop

    Thor: Love and Thunder

    6.4

  • Nosferatu main backdrop

    Nosferatu

    6.7

  • Inside Out 2 main backdrop

    Inside Out 2

    7.6

Status
Released
Original Language
English
Budget
--
Revenue
$780,646.00
Keywords
No keywords have been added.