The New Boy

An aboriginal boy is taken from his home and dumped at a remote church school in 1940s Australia. The new boy impresses his classmates and instructors by taking the adversity in stride, showing empathy, sharing instead of taking, and working some magic in order to heal others from their wounds.

I loved Warwick Thornton's previous film Sweet Country, and enjoyed the gorgeous images here of the wheat fields in the twilight, but even Cate Blanchett the nun can't resurrect such a weak script and thin plot line. The entire film should be compacted into five minutes and audiences will be thankful for it. I sympathize with the film's anticolonial theme and appreciate that it is generally uplifting and positive, but c'mon, let's have an interesting conversation somewhere along the line! North American premiere seen at the Toronto International Film Festival.

If you're looking for a film that will transport you to a different time and place, challenge your assumptions, and touch your emotions, look no further than "The New Boy". This Australian drama, written and directed by Warwick Thornton, is a stunning cinematic achievement exploring colonialism, religion, identity, and resilience.

The film is set in 1940s Australia, where a nine-year-old Aboriginal orphan boy (Aswan Reid) is taken in at a remote monastery run by a renegade nun (Cate Blanchett). His arrival disturbs the delicate balance of the place, where other Aboriginal children are taught to assimilate into the white culture and forget their roots. The boy, who has no name, is mute and mysterious and seems to have supernatural abilities that attract curiosity and fear. He forms a bond with Sister Eileen, who sees something special in him and tries to protect him from the world's harsh realities.

The cinematography by Thornton is breathtaking, capturing the beauty and harshness of the Australian landscape. The film uses natural light and minimal dialogue to create a realistic and immersive atmosphere. The score by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis is haunting and evocative, enhancing the mood and tension.

The performances are also outstanding, especially by the young Aswan Reid, who conveys so much emotion and depth with his eyes and gestures. He is a revelation, and his chemistry with Cate Blanchett is palpable. Blanchett delivers another masterful performance as Sister Eileen, a complex and conflicted character struggling with her faith, duty, and compassion. Deborah Mailman and Wayne Blair are also excellent as the other nuns with different views on dealing with the boy.

The New Boy is not a conventional or easy film to watch. It's slow-paced, subtle, and ambiguous. It doesn't shy away from the brutality and injustice of the colonial system, nor does it offer easy answers or resolutions. It challenged me to think and feel, to question and empathise.

"The New Boy" is a powerful and poetic film. It has stayed with me since seeing it. Check it out if you want to see something different, profound, and thought-provoking.

Warwick Thornton's new film is a moving meditation on what it means to be caught between two cultures and the challenges of trying to bridge incommensurable spiritualities. Aswan Reid is the unnamed 'new boy' a nine-year old new arrival at a remote mission in 1940s South Australia, led by Sister Eileen (Cate Blanchett).

The new boy is a 'clever man' with the spiritual powers of his own Indigenous culture and a fascination for the Catholic spirituality he encounters at the Mission. This interest is interpreted by Sister Eileen as a conversion (with the miraculous overtones of bearing the stigmata) but the new boy's baptism leads to a disruption in the emerging 'two-ways' connections between Indigenous and Catholic spirituality.

The film is shot beautifully by Thornton who also writes and directs this semi-autobiographical film (though relocated to an earlier time period than his own). There is a scene where the new boy is running a foot race, goes beyond the finish line, and just keeps running. Sister Eileen calls out 'Come back!' while Aboriginal work-hand George (Wayne Blair) calls 'Keep going!' This litany continues for some time and serves as an interesting metaphor for the situation of so many caught between Blackfella and Whitefella worlds.

Deborah Mailman offers good support as 'Sister Mum' and all the boys offer good naturalistic performances. It's refreshing to see a film about dispossession and colonisation where genuine kindness and compassion is on display rather than straightforward cruelty and abuse. While it doesn't quite have the power of Thornton's other films, such as Samson and Delilah (2009) or Sweet Country (2017) it confirms his reputation as one of Australia's best film makers.

My Review- The New Boy My rating 9/10

This film reminds me so much of the 1947 classic movie Black Narcissus which is also about an isolated community of nuns written and directed by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger.

The New Boy is a totally different story written by Warwick Thornton set in a totally different location but in my opinion there are some striking similarities.

Black Narcissus like The New Boy also deals with conflicts of faith and extreme culture clashes .

The New Boy produced by Cate Blanchett's production company Dirty Films also like Black Narcissus has an ethereal quality some sets almost look artificial but this adds to the drama.

I also noticed in one pivotal scene the label of a bottle of wine reads Blue Narcissus.

What's The New Boy about ?

This is open to interpretation all I'll say is it's a movie you have to think about .

My interpretation of this fine film is that it's about clash of cultures and a crisis of faith when two spiritual beliefs one Christian and the other indigenous First Nation spirituality collide by an accident of fate.

Mixing realism with the magical aspects of a fable, The New Boy is set in 1940s Australia and centres around an Aboriginal child (played by 11-year-old newcomer Aswan Reid) with mysterious 'powers'.

Eleven year old Aswan Reid gives the finest debut performance of an indigenous boy since David Gulpilil in the original Storm Boy he only has two words of dialogue in the movie but his emotive and spiritual performance doesn't need dialogue.

Cate Blanchett is brilliant as a kind but troubled Head nun Sister Eileen who runs a school for boys that have no mothers themselves - even though we know this to be a lie, as they have been taken from their families and their fate is governed by the Protector of Aborigines.

The New Boy is brought to the monastery after being captured by a Native Policeman.

Sister Eileen who welcomes the new boy as she farewells an older aboriginal boy is desperately trying to maintain her outback community after the priest in charge died she seeks guidance praying to his spirit .

She is fiery and often unconventional but kind as she prays and try's to hide the fact that there is no longer a man in charge from authorities who wouldn't allow a woman in charge of the monastery.

The other nun is Sister Mum so beautifully and sensitively played by Deborah Mailman who assists in the property's farm running while also cooking and caring for the small group of "orphaned boys." Sister Mum's story would make a fine film on its own as we see her tearfully look at a photo of her own children we wonder how she became a nun and can only guess what happened to her two children?

Wayne Blair is also impressive as the Aboriginal overseer who supervises the boys farm work . He becomes suspicious and fearful of the spiritual power of the new boy.

Cate Blanchett helped to develop the story with Warwick Thornton and both decided to make the character a nun instead of a monk who was the original character.

Thornton had originally imagined a priest running the monastery and had given his film the working title Father and the Son but both thought this could add a dark connotation to the story.

Production of The New Boy began in October 2022 and wrapped in December that year. The outdoor scenes were shot on location near Burra in South Australia The wonderful music score of The New Boy was written by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis .

Warwick Thornton the writer of The New Boy is also director and cinematographer and I think this movie is as impressive as his 2009 movie Samson and Delilah.

Full of wonder and careful consideration. Gently handled with lots of space. Nothing gets rammed home here. Warwick is one of Australia's clearest cinematic voices today, and his love for story and the craft shows in every single frame. The composition is always interesting, and the light beautifully natural. South Australia puts it's outback colours on full display. In one tiny location, the world feels vast and magical. The cast performances are all superb. Warwick is definitely of the school "show, don't tell" of which he is quickly becoming a master. One day I would love to be crew on one of his productions, and watch the man at work.