O Despertar de um Homem

I heard of this movie before, but I had no knowledge of what it was about, and basically rented it because it looked good and Robert DeNiro is the star--my Number One favorite actor.

Well, DeNiro's performance is one of the high points of the film, and he is extraordinary as the abusive father who seems pleasant and jovial at times, but can turn violent when you push his buttons. Leonardo DiCaprio is also great, in one of the best performances of his career. Over the years, he's been gaining a reputation as a glamour guy. And that he is, but you must see his performance in this movie before regarding him as "just another pretty face." He was still in his early teens (I'm guessing) when he made this film, so this was a long time before he hit it big with "Titanic." Ellen Barkin is also good, but I wish her character could've been developed a little more. I kept wondering, during the course of the film, why she felt like withstanding Dwight's abuse for such a long period of time. In the beginning of the film, she's established as a free spirit--the kind of woman that romances a man, then drives off to another state to find her next man. Well, why didn't she do the same thing with this jerk? The film is based on a true story, so I'm sure she really did stay with him that long, but I just wanted to know her motives.

"This Boy's Life" is a solid, beautifully made slice-of-life that kept me glued to the screen from start to finish. The climax is an emotional powerhouse that made me want to stand up and cheer. Please check out this underrated masterpiece!

My score: 9 (out of 10)

The title got it right. This is Leonardo's movie through and through. You can't wait for him to get away from his ineffectual Mother and his Stepfather. Not many young actors could hold their own with DeNiro, but Leonardo succeeds beautifully. See this movie if you still have any doubts about his acting ability; for once, the 12-year-old girls got it right by anointing him the actor of this generation.

A highly disturbing film about the violent relationship between a disturbed man, and his adolescent step-son. Remarkable performances from Robert DeNiro and Leonardo DiCaprio. The desperation and hatred is clearly conveyed by both of them; to the point that it's downright scary.

Deniro's character is so seemingly normal, and yet so menacing and terrifying. Another remarkable acting performance from him.

The taunting of the step-son, and the violent confrontations between the two are ugly, yet mesmerizing. You feel the claustrophobic feeling the boy must have had living in this small town, trapped into this relationship. Some of this is very tough to watch.

Wow. This was a harsh film, but a damn good one at that. What is more amazing about this movie is that it is based on the memoirs of the real Tobias Wolf! It's a true story, and that made it all the more better while viewing this one. I cannot state how unpleasant this movie can be at times. The stuff Jack (Tobias) has to endure is really heart wrenching, and there were a few moments where I actually gasped out loud. It's not very often a movie can grip me with complete astonishment, but this managed to do just that. I give a lot of credit to the ensemble performances. Leo DiCaprio is astonishing for a kid at his age at this juncture. He is solely responsible for taking me on a journey I won't soon forget. He is sympathetic, very vulnerable, and I was able to empathize with him all the way. You will feel desperation when it comes to some of his scenes. Robert DeNiro plays one of the most brazen, and detestable characters I have ever seen. He is often terrifying as Dwight. DeNiro is credited for many amazing roles and rightfully so, but this one is shockingly neglected a lot of the time when it comes to his resume. What a chilling performance! Ellen Barkin is exceptionally good as the clueless, yet likable Mother. She may make you wanna slap her one at times, but you'll lover her for the most part, i'm sure. Eliza Dushku, Tobey Maguire, among others have small roles here.

Final Thoughts: It's a hard film to review without revealing so much. It's a fantastic, if draining experience. If you're in the mood for an excellent heavy drama, I would choose this one without question. It'll stay with you after it is over

9/10

This was a very haunting, sometimes very difficult story to watch unfold on screen. It was one of the first films I recollect seeing when I went berserk collecting tons of VHS tapes in the mid-90s. I had never heard of Leonardo DiCaprio, but I'm just I wasn't alone as this was his second or third time on screen. Anyway, he certainly gave a powerful performance and served notice he was going to be a "big name" actor.

Basically, it's about teenage kid and his mom trying to survive the mean father-husband of the family in a small town during the 1950s. Robert De Niro plays the dad and Ellen Barkin, the mom. This may be the only film I've seen in which Barkin actually played the nicest person of the leads!! Leo plays "Tobias Wolffe;" De Niro, "Dwight Hansen" and Barkin, "Caroline Hansen." She had remarried Hansen after having "Toby" earlier, hence the surname "Wolffe."

What made this story tough for me was that, to be honest, neither father nor son were nice guys, although De Niro's character was far worse. The struggles - and that's putting it tactfully - between father and son were really nasty. Yet, as unpleasant at is, the story is memorable and it haunted me for several days, especially since it is "based" on a true story. How much of this was true, I can't say, but it is a dramatic story you will not dismiss. However, watching dysfunctional families and hearing a lot of verbal abuse is not fun, so be warned.