Director: Peter Sheridan
Starring: Shawn Hatosy, Danny Dyer, Michael York, Lee Ingleby, Robin Laing

- Reviewed by Tim

Liverpool, early WWII and 16-year-old Brendan Behan (Shawn Hatosy), an Irish Republican, has just been arrested for bringing explosives across the border. As a result of his arrest, Brendan is sent to the Borstal penal institute to serve out his time. In an effort to keep his convictions intact, Brendan tries to isolate himself from the other prisoners, but as time goes on he lets some of the walls around him fall. He bonds with a Polish boy over a German song that his Granny taught him and then things start getting easier from then on. He forms friendships with many of the other inmates, but especially close ones with the warden's daughter and another inmate named Charlie.

Charlie (Danny Dyer) is an openly gay sailor who has a crush on Brendan. Eva, the warden's daughter, is an artist who was called back to Borstal by her father (Michael York) when fighting broke out in Paris. She opens up some doors for Brendan and Charlie in the way of extra freedom at Borstal and in expanding their ways of thinking. Brendan waffles between his attraction for Eva and his attraction for Charlie. 

Borstal Boy utilizes drama, humor and tragedy to convey this engaging story about growing up in difficult circumstances. 

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