Cheap This Boy's Life (DVD) (Robert De Niro, Ellen Barkin, Leonardo DiCaprio) (Michael Caton-Jones) Price

Related Products

Customer Reviews of This Boy's Life

"His Father's Strife"!
"This Boy's Life" is such a great movie. I first saw this on tv five years ago, and I must say I was blown away! Leonardo DiCaprio is great in one of his first feature films. He plays 'Jack' (aka: Tobias Wolfe), reknowned writer of today. But this movie isn't about his rising success as a writer, this movie is about his struggle growing up with a rather mean step-father. Jack's step-father is played by Robert di Nero. Di Nero does an excellent job portraying Jack's ferocious, manipulant and jealous step-father, Dwight. I could really relate to this movie, which is why I loved it so much. And even now when I watch it again my teeth cringe towards Di Nero's performance of Dwight; he really get's me angry! Even though Di Nero is superb in giving Dwight his sinister appeal, he also manages to give the character a sense of humanity; which is what makes him such a great actor. After feeling so much hatred towards Dwight throughout most of the picture, at the end we almost cry for him as his family is leaving him; he walks out onto the porch practically with tears in his eyes yelling "What about me. What about me!" Ellen Barkin also does a great job of portraying Jack's mother, who is torn between being a wife to Dwight and having the family she'd always wanted and supporting her abused son. The only thing about the film I didn't like was the shallow way we are presented with Dwight's biological children from a previous marriage; they are almost never there! Still, this is an awesome movie, and if you havent seen it yet then you should!

---

A Wonderful And Disturbing Film
This movie is about a mother and son, played by Ellen Barkin and Leonardo DiCaprio, who move in with the mother's new husband Dwight, played by Robert DeNiro, whose true colors come out after they move in. This is a serious and often disturbing film. Dwight and Tobey(DiCaprio)do not get along. This leads to a number of confrontations that are both verbal and physical. The physical fights are extremely unnerving. You have been warned. It is beautifully acted and written. DeNiro is very electrifying and larger than life. He is down right terrifying. DiCaprio is just as good. The guy can act. Ellen Barkin is good, but she is sort of a co-star and doesn't seem as important. The final climax is one hell of a memorable scene. It's almost worth the price of rental alone. See this movie. You'll be deeply satisfied.

---

Great Movie and one of DiCaprio's best works !!!
I am not sure what exactly T.Wolff and Michael Caton Jones wanted to say by the movie. Perhaps my understanding would be somewhat different, but my vision is that reducing it to a simple family violence story does not reveal the real drama. The movie is a desperate attempt to get out of this town, this social environment, it's a challenge to predestination. The whole town itself, Tobbias friends, abusive father in law are nothing more than decorations, cover images. They simply personify and represent what would have happened to Tobbias and his life had he decided to stay.

Great Movie and one of DiCaprio's best works !!!