This Boy's Life (film)
Encyclopedia
This Boy's Life is a 1993 film adaptation
of the memoir
of the same name
by Tobias Wolff
. It is directed by Michael Caton-Jones
and stars Leonardo DiCaprio
as Tobias Wolff, Robert De Niro
as stepfather Dwight Hansen, and Ellen Barkin
as Toby's mother, Caroline. The film also features Chris Cooper
, Carla Gugino
, and Eliza Dushku
, as well as Tobey Maguire
in a small role, his first feature film role.
) just wants to settle down in one place, find a decent man, and provide a better home for her and her son, Toby (Leonardo DiCaprio
). When she moves to Seattle and meets the seemingly respectable Dwight Hansen (Robert De Niro
) (in real life Dwight Thompson worked as a mechanic for Seattle City Light
at the time), she thinks she has got it made. Toby, however, feels differently after Dwight's true personality is revealed after spending a few months with Dwight and his children away from Caroline. The boy's stepfather-to-be seems to want to mold Toby into a better person, but his method includes emotionally, verbally, and physically abusing the boy.
The marriage proceeds, and soon Caroline, too, recognizes Dwight's need to dominate everyone around him. She sticks with it, though, convinced it is the best thing for her son, and several years of dysfunction ensue. During this time, Toby befriends a classmate, the misfit and ambiguously homosexual, Arthur Gayle (Jonah Blechman
). Toby continues to chafe under the yoke of his repressive stepfather. Hoping to leave Concrete and live with his older brother Gregory, Toby decides to apply for east-coast prep-school scholarships. Realizing his grades are not adequate to apply, Toby devises a plan to submit falsified grade reports. Meanwhile, the friendship between Arthur and Toby becomes strained when Arthur confronts Toby regarding his behavior; Arthur tells Toby he is acting more and more like Dwight and asks Toby, "why should you be the one who gets to leave?" Even so, Arthur helps his friend get the papers Toby needs to falsify his grade records and Toby sends in his prep-school applications. When Toby tells Arthur he can leave Concrete and have a better life too, Arthur tells him he will most likely stay. After numerous rejections, Toby is accepted to the Hill School in Pottstown, Pennsylvania
with a full scholarship.
At the end of the film following two years of marriage, Caroline defends Toby during a physically violent argument between her son and husband and they are both seen leaving Dwight and Concrete. The real Dwight died in 1992. Caroline remarried to a good man and lives in Florida. Arthur left Concrete after all, and became a successful businessman in Italy. Dwight's children all married and lived in Seattle.
(where Tobias Wolff's teen years were spent with his mother and stepfather, Dwight), was transformed to its 1950s appearance for a realistic feel. Many of the town's citizens were used as extras, and all external scenes in Concrete (and some internal scenes, as well) were shot in and around the town, including the former elementary school buildings and the still-active Concrete High School building.
on April 9, 1993 and earned $74,425 that weekend; upon its wide release
on April 23, the film opened at #10 at the box office and grossed $1,519,678. The film would end with a domestic gross of $4,104,962.
gave the film a 76% 'Fresh' rating. On Metacritic
, where they give a 'normalized' score, the film has a 60/100.
's version of "Let's Get Away from It All
" from his 1958 album Come Fly with Me and Toby and his mother sing "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Out of My Hair" from the popular post-war musical South Pacific
. However, most of the music reflects Toby's fondness for rock and roll
and doo wop, including songs by Eddie Cochran
, Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, and Link Wray
. Carter Burwell
composed the film's pensive score, which featured New York guitarist Frederic Hand
.
Film adaptation
Film adaptation is the transfer of a written work to a feature film. It is a type of derivative work.A common form of film adaptation is the use of a novel as the basis of a feature film, but film adaptation includes the use of non-fiction , autobiography, comic book, scripture, plays, and even...
of the memoir
Memoir
A memoir , is a literary genre, forming a subclass of autobiography – although the terms 'memoir' and 'autobiography' are almost interchangeable. Memoir is autobiographical writing, but not all autobiographical writing follows the criteria for memoir set out below...
of the same name
This Boy's Life
This Boy's Life is a memoir by Tobias Wolff first published in 1989. It describes the author's adolescence as he wanders the continental United States with his itinerant mother. The first leg of their journey takes them from Florida to Utah, where Mom, fleeing an abusive partner, hopes to get rich...
by Tobias Wolff
Tobias Wolff
Tobias Jonathan Ansell Wolff is an American author. He is known for his memoirs, particularly This Boy's Life , and his short stories. He has also written two novels.-Biography:Wolff was born in 1945 in Birmingham, Alabama...
. It is directed by Michael Caton-Jones
Michael Caton-Jones
Michael Caton-Jones is the director of such films as Scandal, Rob Roy, Memphis Belle and The Jackal...
and stars Leonardo DiCaprio
Leonardo DiCaprio
Leonardo Wilhelm DiCaprio is an American actor and film producer. He has received many awards, including a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor for his performance in The Aviator , and has been nominated by the Academy Awards, Screen Actors Guild and the British Academy of Film and Television...
as Tobias Wolff, Robert De Niro
Robert De Niro
Robert De Niro, Jr. is an American actor, director and producer. His first major film roles were in Bang the Drum Slowly and Mean Streets, both in 1973...
as stepfather Dwight Hansen, and Ellen Barkin
Ellen Barkin
Ellen Barkin is an American film, television and theatre actress.-Early life:She was born Ellen Rona Barkin in Bronx, a borough of New York City, New York, the daughter of Evelyn , a hospital administrator who worked at Jamaica Hospital, and Sol Barkin, a chemical salesman...
as Toby's mother, Caroline. The film also features Chris Cooper
Chris Cooper (actor)
Christopher W. "Chris" Cooper is an American film actor. He became well known in the late 1990s. He has appeared in supporting performances in several major Hollywood films, including The Bourne Identity, American Beauty, Capote, The Town, The Kingdom, Syriana, October Sky, Seabiscuit, and...
, Carla Gugino
Carla Gugino
Carla Gugino is an American actress known for her roles of Sally Jupiter in Watchmen, Dr. Vera Gorski in Sucker Punch, Lucille in Sin City, Amanda Daniels in seasons 3, 5 and 7 of Entourage, Ingrid Cortez in the Spy Kids film trilogy, and as the lead characters of the television series Karen Sisco...
, and Eliza Dushku
Eliza Dushku
Eliza Patricia Dushku is an American actress known for her television roles, including recurring appearances as Faith on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spinoff series Angel. She starred in two Fox series, Tru Calling and Dollhouse...
, as well as Tobey Maguire
Tobey Maguire
Tobias Vincent "Tobey" Maguire is an American actor and producer. He began his career in the 1980s, and has achieved his greatest fame for his role as Peter Parker/Spider-Man in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man films.-Early life:...
in a small role, his first feature film role.
Plot
Nomadic, flaky Caroline Wolff (Ellen BarkinEllen Barkin
Ellen Barkin is an American film, television and theatre actress.-Early life:She was born Ellen Rona Barkin in Bronx, a borough of New York City, New York, the daughter of Evelyn , a hospital administrator who worked at Jamaica Hospital, and Sol Barkin, a chemical salesman...
) just wants to settle down in one place, find a decent man, and provide a better home for her and her son, Toby (Leonardo DiCaprio
Leonardo DiCaprio
Leonardo Wilhelm DiCaprio is an American actor and film producer. He has received many awards, including a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor for his performance in The Aviator , and has been nominated by the Academy Awards, Screen Actors Guild and the British Academy of Film and Television...
). When she moves to Seattle and meets the seemingly respectable Dwight Hansen (Robert De Niro
Robert De Niro
Robert De Niro, Jr. is an American actor, director and producer. His first major film roles were in Bang the Drum Slowly and Mean Streets, both in 1973...
) (in real life Dwight Thompson worked as a mechanic for Seattle City Light
Seattle City Light
Seattle City Light is the public utility providing electrical power to Seattle, Washington and parts of its metropolitan area, including all of Shoreline and Lake Forest Park and parts of unincorporated King County, Burien, Normandy Park, Seatac, Renton, and Tukwila...
at the time), she thinks she has got it made. Toby, however, feels differently after Dwight's true personality is revealed after spending a few months with Dwight and his children away from Caroline. The boy's stepfather-to-be seems to want to mold Toby into a better person, but his method includes emotionally, verbally, and physically abusing the boy.
The marriage proceeds, and soon Caroline, too, recognizes Dwight's need to dominate everyone around him. She sticks with it, though, convinced it is the best thing for her son, and several years of dysfunction ensue. During this time, Toby befriends a classmate, the misfit and ambiguously homosexual, Arthur Gayle (Jonah Blechman
Jonah Blechman
Jonah Ethan Blechman is an American actor. He has appeared in This Boy's Life with Leonardo DiCaprio and stars in Another Gay Movie alongside Johathan Chase and Michael Carbonaro and the sequel Another Gay Sequel: Gays Gone Wild!.-Television:*Empty Cradle as Patrick*The Commish as Mikey...
). Toby continues to chafe under the yoke of his repressive stepfather. Hoping to leave Concrete and live with his older brother Gregory, Toby decides to apply for east-coast prep-school scholarships. Realizing his grades are not adequate to apply, Toby devises a plan to submit falsified grade reports. Meanwhile, the friendship between Arthur and Toby becomes strained when Arthur confronts Toby regarding his behavior; Arthur tells Toby he is acting more and more like Dwight and asks Toby, "why should you be the one who gets to leave?" Even so, Arthur helps his friend get the papers Toby needs to falsify his grade records and Toby sends in his prep-school applications. When Toby tells Arthur he can leave Concrete and have a better life too, Arthur tells him he will most likely stay. After numerous rejections, Toby is accepted to the Hill School in Pottstown, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
with a full scholarship.
At the end of the film following two years of marriage, Caroline defends Toby during a physically violent argument between her son and husband and they are both seen leaving Dwight and Concrete. The real Dwight died in 1992. Caroline remarried to a good man and lives in Florida. Arthur left Concrete after all, and became a successful businessman in Italy. Dwight's children all married and lived in Seattle.
Cast
- Leonardo DiCaprioLeonardo DiCaprioLeonardo Wilhelm DiCaprio is an American actor and film producer. He has received many awards, including a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor for his performance in The Aviator , and has been nominated by the Academy Awards, Screen Actors Guild and the British Academy of Film and Television...
as Tobias "Toby" Wolff - Robert De NiroRobert De NiroRobert De Niro, Jr. is an American actor, director and producer. His first major film roles were in Bang the Drum Slowly and Mean Streets, both in 1973...
as Dwight Hansen - Ellen BarkinEllen BarkinEllen Barkin is an American film, television and theatre actress.-Early life:She was born Ellen Rona Barkin in Bronx, a borough of New York City, New York, the daughter of Evelyn , a hospital administrator who worked at Jamaica Hospital, and Sol Barkin, a chemical salesman...
as Caroline Wolff Hansen - Jonah BlechmanJonah BlechmanJonah Ethan Blechman is an American actor. He has appeared in This Boy's Life with Leonardo DiCaprio and stars in Another Gay Movie alongside Johathan Chase and Michael Carbonaro and the sequel Another Gay Sequel: Gays Gone Wild!.-Television:*Empty Cradle as Patrick*The Commish as Mikey...
as Arthur Gayle - Eliza DushkuEliza DushkuEliza Patricia Dushku is an American actress known for her television roles, including recurring appearances as Faith on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spinoff series Angel. She starred in two Fox series, Tru Calling and Dollhouse...
as Pearl Hansen - Chris CooperChris Cooper (actor)Christopher W. "Chris" Cooper is an American film actor. He became well known in the late 1990s. He has appeared in supporting performances in several major Hollywood films, including The Bourne Identity, American Beauty, Capote, The Town, The Kingdom, Syriana, October Sky, Seabiscuit, and...
as Roy - Carla GuginoCarla GuginoCarla Gugino is an American actress known for her roles of Sally Jupiter in Watchmen, Dr. Vera Gorski in Sucker Punch, Lucille in Sin City, Amanda Daniels in seasons 3, 5 and 7 of Entourage, Ingrid Cortez in the Spy Kids film trilogy, and as the lead characters of the television series Karen Sisco...
as Norma Hansen - Zack AnsleyZachary AnsleyZachary Ansley is a Canadian actor and lawyer born on 21 January 1972 in Vancouver, Canada. He has been acting professionally since he was eleven years old. He was the winner of the first YTV Acting Award...
as Skipper Hansen - Tracey Ellis as Kathy
- Kathy KinneyKathy KinneyKathy Kinney is an American actress and comedian. She gained considerable popularity in the late 1990s for playing Mimi Bobeck, the outrageously made-up, flamboyantly vulgar, and vindictive nemesis of Drew Carey on the sitcom The Drew Carey Show...
as Marian - Tobey MaguireTobey MaguireTobias Vincent "Tobey" Maguire is an American actor and producer. He began his career in the 1980s, and has achieved his greatest fame for his role as Peter Parker/Spider-Man in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man films.-Early life:...
as Chuck Bolger - Sean Murray as Jimmy Voorhees
- Lee WilkofLee WilkofLee Wilkof is an American actor and veteran of the Broadway stage. He originated the roles of Sam Byck in Assassins and Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors, later earning a Tony Award nomination for the 2000 revival of Kiss Me, Kate...
as Principal Skippy - Bill DowBill DowBill Dow is an actor, director and writer in theatre, film, and television. He is best known for playing Bill Lee in the Stargate franchise. He also had a recurring roles as Russ Hathaway in the Canadian drama series Da Vinci's Inquest, as Mr. Parkman in Pasadena, and Dr. Charles Burks in The X Files...
as Vice Principal - Deanna MilliganDeanna MilliganDeanna Milligan is a Canadian actress. She has appeared in numerous Canadian and U.S. films and television shows. She had a major role playing Dave Thomas' daughter in the The Beachcombers made for TV movies: The New Beachcombers and A Beachcombers Christmas. She was the mystery woman in the...
and Morgan Brayton as Silver Sisters
Production
Largely filmed in the state of Washington, the town of Concrete, WashingtonConcrete, Washington
Concrete is a town in north-central Skagit County, Washington, United States. The population was 705 at the 2010 census. The town of Concrete is included in the Mount Vernon-Anacortes, Washington Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Early history:...
(where Tobias Wolff's teen years were spent with his mother and stepfather, Dwight), was transformed to its 1950s appearance for a realistic feel. Many of the town's citizens were used as extras, and all external scenes in Concrete (and some internal scenes, as well) were shot in and around the town, including the former elementary school buildings and the still-active Concrete High School building.
Box office
The film was released in limited releaseLimited release
Limited release is a term in the American motion picture industry for a motion picture that is playing in a select few theaters across the country ....
on April 9, 1993 and earned $74,425 that weekend; upon its wide release
Wide release
Wide release is a term in the American motion picture industry for a motion picture that is playing nationally . Specifically, a movie is considered to be in wide release when it is on 600 screens or more in the United States and Canada.In the US, films holding an NC-17 rating almost never have a...
on April 23, the film opened at #10 at the box office and grossed $1,519,678. The film would end with a domestic gross of $4,104,962.
Critical reception
The film gained mostly positive reviews; review aggregator website Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
gave the film a 76% 'Fresh' rating. On Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
, where they give a 'normalized' score, the film has a 60/100.
Soundtrack
The soundtrack of This Boy's Life used many songs from the 1950s and early 1960s. The main titles (filmed in Professor Valley, Utah) feature Frank SinatraFrank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
's version of "Let's Get Away from It All
Let's Get Away from It All
"Let's Get Away from It All" is a popular song with music by Matt Dennis and lyrics by Tom Adair, published in 1941.The song is best known in a version by Frank Sinatra, but many others have recorded it and it is considered a pop standard....
" from his 1958 album Come Fly with Me and Toby and his mother sing "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Out of My Hair" from the popular post-war musical South Pacific
South Pacific (musical)
South Pacific is a musical with music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and book by Hammerstein and Joshua Logan. The story draws from James A. Michener's Pulitzer Prize-winning 1947 book Tales of the South Pacific, weaving together characters and elements from several of its...
. However, most of the music reflects Toby's fondness for rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
and doo wop, including songs by Eddie Cochran
Eddie Cochran
Eddie Cochran , was an American rock and roll pioneer who in his brief career had a small but lasting influence on rock music through his guitar playing. Cochran's rockabilly songs, such as "C'mon Everybody", "Somethin' Else", and "Summertime Blues", captured teenage frustration and desire in the...
, Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, and Link Wray
Link Wray
Fred Lincoln "Link" Wray Jr was an American rock and roll guitarist, songwriter and occasional singer....
. Carter Burwell
Carter Burwell
Carter Benedict Burwell is an American composer of film scores.-Life and career:Burwell was born in New York City, the son of Natalie , a math teacher, and Charles Burwell, who founded Thaibok Fabrics, Ltd...
composed the film's pensive score, which featured New York guitarist Frederic Hand
Frederic Hand
Frederic Hand is a guitarist and composer who lives in the New York City area.His versatile performances range from early music to jazz to his own compositions, and he has been a guest artist at the Mostly Mozart Festival, the Marlboro Music Festival, with the New York Philharmonic, the Waverly...
.
External links
- This Boy's Life film trailer at You Tube