''The Boys'' is a 1998 Australian

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super- ...

directed by

Rowan Woods Rowan Woods (born 1959) is an Australian AACTA Award-winning film and television director, actor and screenwriter. Career Film Woods directed '' The Boys'' in 1998 and won an ACCTA Award for Best Direction. The film was also entered into the 4 ...

. The screenplay by Stephen Sewell is based on the play by Gordon Graham, with Graham influenced by the 1986

murder of Anita Cobby Anita Lorraine Cobby (née Lynch) (2 November 1959 – 2 February 1986) was a 26-year-old Australian woman from Blacktown, New South Wales who was kidnapped while walking home from Blacktown railway station just before 10:00 p.m. on 2 Febru ...

, with the play first performed by

Griffin Theatre Company Griffin Theatre Company is an Australian theatre specialising in new works, based in Sydney. Founded in 1979, it is the resident theatre company at the SBW Stables Theatre in Kings Cross. the artistic director is Declan Green. Artistic direc ...

under the direction of Alex Galeazzi.

Plot

After serving time in prison for an assault on a liquor store employee, Brett Sprague is released from prison and returns home to his two brothers and his and their girlfriends, mother and stepfather. Things have changed, and as Brett begins to drink his way through the day, he regains his "top-dog" position one argument at a time. This power trip gets Brett and his brothers united in rage against their girlfriends and mother, and they are involved in a heinous crime. The aftermath of the night unfolds through the story with

flashforward A flashforward (also spelled flash-forward, and more formally known as prolepsis) is a scene that temporarily takes the narrative forward in time from the current point of the story in literature, film, television and other media. Flashforwards a ...

Cast

David Wenham David Wenham (born 21 September 1965) is an Australian actor who has appeared in film, television and theatre. He is known for his roles as Faramir in ''The Lord of the Rings'' film trilogy, Friar Carl in '' Van Helsing'', Dilios in '' 300'' ...

– Brett Sprague *

Toni Collette Toni Collette Galafassi (born Toni Collett; 1 November 1972) is an Australian actress, producer, singer, and songwriter. Known for her work in television and independent films, she has received various accolades throughout her career, inclu ...

– Michelle *

Lynette Curran Lynette Curran is an Australian actress known for many roles in Australian television series and films, including the soap opera '' Bellbird'', and the films ''Country Town'' (1971) and '' Bliss'' (1985). Theatre She started acting in the t ...

– Sandra Sprague *

John Polson John Polson (born 6 September 1965) is an Australian actor, director and founder of Tropfest. As an actor, Polson's best known role is probably starring opposite Russell Crowe and Jack Thompson in '' The Sum of Us'' (1994). In February 2001, ...

– Glenn Sprague * Anthony Hayes – Stevie Sprague * Jeanette Cronin – Jackie *

Anna Lise Phillips Anna Lise Phillips (Australia, 1975) is an Australian actress. She is sometimes credited as Anna Lise, Anna Lise Philips, or Anna-Lise Phillips. Early life Phillips grew up in Darwin in the Northern Territory of Australia where she was a fou ...

– Nola * Pete Smith – George * Sal Sharah – Nick

Production

''The Boys'' is Rowan Woods' directorial debut, and actor

Peter Hehir Peter Hehir (born 1949) is an Australian actor. He is best known for his role as Bert Duggan on the soap opera '' The Sullivans'' from 1976 to 1978. His film appearances included ''Rikky and Pete'' (1988), ''The Girl Who Came Late'' (1991), ' ...

's last film before he retired from acting. Woods "aimed to achieve a combination of documentary-style naturalism with the edge of a thriller." Woods also said that the first time he read the play, he felt "it was an Australian story that had to be told. (…) This is the inside story of a family in crisis, of three boys on the day before a nasty crime takes place, of which they are accused." The producer of the film, Robert Connolloy, had also produced the play. He met Rowan Woods at film school, and they both suggested to John Maynard they make the movie. The script was adapted by playwright Stephen Sewell. Shooting was done on location in a rented house in Maroubra, one of Sydney's Eastern Suburbs. The location used to shoot the scene of the heinous crime was filmed at the Eastlakes Shopping Centre in Eastlakes, another eastern suburb.

Accolades

The original music score is composed by

The Necks The Necks are an Australian avant-garde jazz trio formed in 1987 by founding mainstays Chris Abrahams on piano and Hammond organ, Tony Buck on drums, percussion and electric guitar, and Lloyd Swanton on bass guitar and double bass. They play im ...

, with other music contributed by sound designer Alan Lamb.Mitchell, Tony. Minimalist Menace, UTS Publishing, 2005.
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References

External links