Man and Boy (2002 TV Movie) User Reviews (6)

Fatherhood is sometimes foisted on us

[Philby-3 · 5 May 2003]

A well-observed comedy-drama of a man's sudden discovery of the joys and pains of fatherhood which makes good Sunday night viewing. Harry Silver's comfortable life as a TV producer of low-grade personality chat shows is disturbed when after a one-night stand with an assistant, his wife Gina, having zero tolerance for infidelity, leaves him for a job in Japan, and he has to act as sole nurturer to Pat, his winsome five-year-old son.

Ioan Gryffud is indeed in a different element here, but he provides Harry with the sense of increasing desperation required. He is well supported especially by 7 year old Dominic Howell as Pat. Natasha Little, a specialist at such roles, is excellent as the attractive but self-obsessed Gina and Elizabeth Mitchell (who really is from Dallas, Texas) is a nice contrast as the equally good looking but much nicer American woman Harry eventually falls for.

There is also some fine support from Jack Sheppard as Harry's crusty but concerned father and Pauline Collins as his mother. Ian McNiesh as Harry's lawyer also puts in a spirited performance – I can see him as the next Rumpole. Ian McShane was also enjoyable as Harry's mendacious chat show host.

Although Harry's lifestyle might be fatuous, his relationship with his son becomes the real thing and we feel for Harry when it is threatened. This is made easier for us because Gina is so unsympathetic – you get the impression she felt trapped by the marriage (while pretending to be happy) and was looking for an excuse to end it, grab the kid and leave. The scriptwriters go for a soft ending and in the end Harry, despite refusing to put up a fight, gets all that he wants.

Pleasant Sunday night entertainment – a bit like Hornblower really.

Elizabeth Mitchell was awesome

[sherriberri · 10/10 · 10 April 2002]

This is the first time I have seen a BBC movie. I was very impressed but I was very impressed with Elizabeth Mitchell. She had every range of emotions in this movie and she rocked. I was glad to see that she got her fair amount of screen time in this movie and that her talents were used. Good movie....

A fathers love for his little boy

[aidan 3 · 10/10 · 13 April 2002]

Spoiler Man and Boy was a unique tail of a father bonding with his little boy. I thought the film was excellent but i was a bit disappointed on how Harry and gina did not get back together again, I would of liked it to become a bit of a fairytail at the end. Ioan gruffudd who played harry was excellent and really made the film, the little boy who played pat was also brillant. I really enjoyed this film and given the chance i would watch it again

Total Rip-Off of Kramer vs Kramer!

[A_Kind_Of_CineMagic · 3/10 · 23 April 2009]

I cannot believe nobody has commented on this site what a complete and utter rip-off this story/film is of Kramer vs Kramer! I also find it hard to believe how the journalist Tony Parsons has been so lauded as having come up with such a 'great book' which was a best seller! Parsons must have just sat and watched Kramer vs Kramer and wrote it down transferring it to Britain and putting it in his own words! Making this into a film has made it seem even more of a rip off.

1. Both films feature a 'yuppie' like couple with a young son where the mother is the 100% carer for the boy while the husband is obsessed by his career and slightly neglects his little family.

2. In both films the mother ups and leaves to 'find herself' - the only difference is that in Kramer there has been no infidelity - and the father is left to care for the son.

3. In both films there is a first morning together trying to make breakfast scene where the father is useless.

4. Both films have the father struggling with the shopping with the son taking the lead.

5. Both films have the father then losing his job being got rid of by a former friend.

6. Both films have the father initially struggling, have a key bedtime story moment of success and an increasingly wonderful relationship developing between them.

7. Both films have the father teaching the boy how to ride a bike in the park and have identical father letting go and boy riding off in a straight line away from him scenes.

8. Both films have the son receiving a serious head injury playing in a park while the father is distracted. Both films have the father running to the hospital carrying the boy prostrate in his arms. Both films have the father blaming himself and being blamed in court for allowing the accident to happen.

9. Both films have the mother returning and a custody battle ensuing. Both have a reunion scene between mother and son in the park preceded by a father to son chat and with the son running into the mother's arms.

10. Both films have a similar result.

The only additional plot elements are the father's relationship with his parents and suffering bereavement and a new relationship with another woman. The first of these 2 additions is done well and is the best aspect of the film. The new relationship is not done that well and doesn't make it seem the father is remotely bothered by the split or responsible as a father. The whole film is set over a shorter space of time than the 'Kramer' film and thus much increased and rushed swiftness in character development which is far less believable and less sympathetic. Especially bad is the 'devoted' mother and wife rushing into a new marriage. It is also, unsurprisingly, not in the same league in acting, film-making, script or subtlety as the Hollywood film. The boy is adorable and good in this film but even he was out-acted totally by the boy in the Kramer film! Just watch the 1979 movie.

3/10

My boy, my beautiful boy

[macy1610 · 10/10 · 2 April 2002]

This is based on a book, and has been transformed from paper to screen extremely well. Ioan Gruffudd plays Harry, and portrays him with excellence. Although it isn't meant to be a comedy, it has it's moments. 'Green spagetti' and 'Star Wars' are two main features (you have to have seen it to understand them). One of the funny moments is when Harry is washing his son's hair in the bath, but Pat (the son) doesn't like it because his mother, who has left, and struggles. Harry responds by saying "Does Luke Skywalker cry when he has his hair washed?", and Pat says defiantly, "No!". This drama is ridden with quips, and is a wonderful piece of acting.

Witty adaptation of best-selling novel.

[talismanix · 4 May 2002]

In a departure from form Ioan Gruffudd plays Harry, a modern Londoner heading for a premature middle-age crisis, which manifests itself when he buys a jaguar and has a one-night stand with a co-worker. Harry's wife Gina discovers his infidelity and rather abruptly ditches him and moves to Japan, leaving their son Pat in the dubious care of her hippy father. Harry looses his job as a TV producer and decides to retrieve Pat and throw himself into the role of the single parent. The interaction between Gruffudd and Dominic Howell is perfect and very believable, in contrast the relationship with his parents seemed rather forced. In an attempt to replicate the novel, Harry's thoughts are voiced by means of a wry and occasionally moving voiceover, which is both amusing and distracting. Regrettably, Ioan Gruffudd's natural Welsh intonation is replaced by a wavering London accent, which at times leaves him sounding a little flat. However a handful of chest shots should keep the majority of his fans happy. It was certainly a brave attempt to break the `Hornblower' mode, but it is difficult to see Ioan as a less noble and moral character. Additionally, he can't possibly be thirty! I found Gina deeply unsympathetic, the American waitress Syd, in a similar situation, was more favourable. The tone varied between poignant and hilarious, the character of the embittered lawyer was particularly entertaining. Apparently this novel is to be re-adapted for the US market. This is unfortunate, as the London setting seems intrinsic to the story, also although a US audience would appreciate the son's obsession with Star Wars, perhaps not with the same dry humour. Certainly the character of Marty, the obnoxious chat-show host will be familiar the world-over!