A Boy's Life

Fairly well done documentary about one southern family's life in the midst of poverty and psychological abuse. I rather enjoyed this movie, and found my self laughing at times during the opening half. Yet this is certainly not a comical movie. Early on some the characters acted so uniquely odd, so over the top "Southern", that it seemed to be staged. As the movie runs on, you realize that it is not the case. The things that seemed laughable early on, seem quite different at the movies end. The documentary looks in to several ills that seem to go hand in hand with poverty. It takes on more social problems, I imagine, than even the film makers expected. Nonetheless it gives us a snapshot, not always an objective one, at this family's life.

I was beyond disturbed and upset by this documentary. You would have to be blind, deaf and dumb to not see the surroundings of Robert including his insane grandmother and bitter lazy fat mother were destroying that child's future to be a normal boy.

As we could see from how he behaved at school, and getting A's for his report card he is an intelligent child stuck in some hick moron's home. I felt so beyond sorry for this child and his poor little ignored brother it actually made me sick.

In a perfect world I would not let the grandmother and her daughter look after a rabbit let alone raise two children. They are the scum of the earth. Yes that is harsh, but it's a great argument for legal and safe abortion when 'these' types of people get pregnant. It's a vicious cycle that will never end until people start saying what everyone is afraid of hearing! But Robert exists and I am saddened he is still with those horrible horrible people. The best thing for that child and his brother is be taken away immediately.

Bless the school and teachers for being so wonderful, and also Dr Phee for doing her best.

"A Boy's Life", Rory Kennedy's portrait of Robert, a young boy (7) growing up in abject poverty in Northern Mississippi, was difficult to watch.

Difficult to watch only because of the treatment that Robert received at the hand of his Grandmother. Numerous instances of the child being emotionally decimated by his "mamaw" raised red flags of Munchausen by Proxy Syndrome. Regardless of the impetus of the mistreatment, the film captured an upsetting family dynamic as orchestrated by the matriarch. The film was effective in its crafting layers of complexity of the relationships between Robert, his brother (whom was not examined by the film), the grandmother, and his mother.

There are moments in which I sensed some exploitation of this family in unenviable conditions; but it wasn't so much that it took away from the gravity and texture of the film.

I recommend this documentary but keep a tissue nearby, just in case.

I watched this documentary twice. I cannot believe the Grandmother's behavior. I couldn't decide whether she was the one with the mental problems or if she was just a control freak. A little of both, I guess.

My compassion for this child brought me to tears. I cannot believe that an adult could be so emotionally abusive. Unfortunately, I was raised by the same kind of mother and I know how it feels. I have no sympathy for a grown woman who, in my opinion, beats herself about the legs and blames a 7 year old. Her daughter has obviously been just as emotionally abused and I hope gets help for herself.

Please update us on how Robert and his brother are doing. I pray that things have turned for the better.

An in-depth look into the lives of a poor, rural family with little education, and a poor family dynamic. The grandmothers maniplation was outrageous (claiming Benji won the race when robert clearly did, showing up in the kitchen at Roberts birthday and hugging and fawning over him, then crying that no one is paying attention to her)and deeply saddening. The lack of opportunities and resources almost guaruntees this family cycle of poverty will continue with Robert and Benji's children.

Excellently done. Kudos to their schools, and all of our schools. It is an outrage that teachers and school administrators are not among the highest paid positions ion our society, instead of among the lowest. The teachers and staff at our public schools sometimes do more parenting and child rearing than these parents ever do, and the fact that they make next to nothing is embarrassing to me.