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December Boys (2007)

Director: Rod Hardy

Time Out rating

Average user rating

4 reviews

Movie review

From Time Out London

With this being his first post-‘Potter’ effort, viewers might expect to see newly angular Daniel Radcliffe making an effort to lose those stifling Hogwarts robes and assure his fan base that he’s not headed down the same precipitous career path that threatens even the most talented of child stars. Set in Australia in the ’60s, Misty, Maps, Spark and Spit are four orphaned scamps known as the December Boys for the odd reason that they were all born in December. When their orphanage receives an unexpected cash windfall, they’re packed off on holiday to the coastal idyll of Lady Star Cove where they fall in with the lovably eccentric locals. Misty overhears the plans of one couple (a daredevil stunt driver and his buxom French wife, no less) to adopt one of the boys before they leave, and so the film dutifully subverts the delicate process of adoption into a must-win struggle for maternal acceptance (sample dialogue: ‘We’ll just line ’em up and pick the best one!’).

With its series of tonally awkward plot developments which seem to have been engineered specifically to meet Radcliffe’s various portfolio needs, the best that could be said of this lazy ‘Stand By Me’ lookalike is that the actor’s next move should be to talk to his agent. If, however, you merely want to revel at the sight of Radcliffe smoking rollies and prancing around in a tight T-shirt, ‘December Boys’ works just fine.

Author: David Jenkins

Time Out London Issue 1934: September 12-18 2007

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User reviews of this film

KEZZ said...

Posted on Oct 24 2011 18:48 Must see this im a huge fan of Daniel Radcliffe and the dvd appears on most dvd websites so im gathering its out on dvd already. I know my next dvd purchase for sure along with part 2 of the deathly hallows xxx

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danii said...

Posted on Oct 19 2008 16:23 it has already cum out on dvd. i think.
I LOVE DANIEL RACLIFFE!!!!!!!

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frankie said...

Posted on Oct 12 2007 19:09 omg! i havnt even seen the film yet.. and im a massive fan of daniel radcliffe's!! WHY is it not showing in any leicestershire cinemas? or any near leicester?? seems to me its only in LONDON!!!!!!!! will someone please comment some info as to how i get to watch the film in cinemas apart from driving miles and miles to london. not happy !!! plus.. does anyone know if and when its coming out on DVD ? thanx

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Marcos said...

Posted on Sep 14 2007 13:30 Love the movie, the plot is not complicated and the story has a heart.

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