Quartile rating: 7.5/10 · 1 rating
Freed after a lengthy term in a juvenile detention center, convicted child killer Jack Burridge finds work as a deliveryman and begins dating co-worker Michelle. While out on the road one day, Jack notices a distressed child, and, after reuniting the girl with her family, becomes a local celebrity. But when a local newspaper unearths his past, Jack must cope with the anger of citizens who fear for the safety of their children.
Boy A is anchored by an exceptional lead performance from Andrew Garfield, who brings raw vulnerability to Jack's fragile attempt at rebuilding a life. The film handles the thorny moral terrain of rehabilitation and public identity with genuine empathy rather than easy resolution. Its ending is quietly devastating and earns its emotional weight through restraint rather than melodrama. The plot follows a somewhat familiar 'past catches up' structure, and the cinematography is competent but unremarkable. Novelty is moderate — the redemption-versus-society tension has precedent, but the specific emotional lens and character work give it a distinctive, melancholy texture.