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List Price: $19.98 | | Label: Warner Home Video
Salesrank: 17256
Released: December 11, 2007 |
| Our Price: $3.41 |
| Used Price: $2.95 |
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MPAA Rating: Unrated
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
They share the same birth month, so the orphanage calls them December Boys. But these teens â€" Maps, Spit, Spark and Misty â€" have much more in common. With no hopes of ever joining a family, they form their own familial bonds. Then the unexpected news comes that a young couple may adopt one of them, and the long-time pals suddenly share something else: a rivalry to be the chosen one.
December Boys Reviews:
A very feel good movie! 
2009-09-13 - I had seen this movie quite a while back and really liked it, so decided to order it. It is a story about 4 boys in an orphanage in Australia. They are called 'the December Boys' because all of their birthdays are in December.
The boys get a chance for a trip to the shore and discover just how much of a family they have become together. This is a good movie about growing up, love, and acceptance.
decemer boys
2009-08-30 - Not quite what what I expected but if you like Daniel Radcliffe you will enjoy the movie, he really is a good actor.
Coming-of-age in South Australia... and tantalizing Teresa Palmer
2009-07-05 - I picked up "December Boys" for two reasons: I like (non-raunchy) coming-of-age flicks and the fact that it takes place on the Southern coast of Australia (atually it was shot on Kangaroo Island, part of South Australia). As for Daniel Radcliffe, the star of the popular Harry Potter films, I've never seen him in a movie before and have zero interest in him or Potter.
THE STORY: Four boys from an Outback Catholic orphanage get to celebrate their December birthdays by taking a Christmas holiday on the coast. They discover that a young childless couple are interested in adopting one of them, which creates a bit of rivalry, although the oldest one (Radcliffe) could care less and spends his time learning about girls and romance. Their time at the coast becomes a cornerstone experience as they ultimately discover that they themselves are a family.
I should first emphasize that, unless you're Australian, you'll have to utilize the English subtitles to understand the nigh-unintelligible Australian dialect. If you fail to do this you'll only comprehend about half the dialogue and the story will be lost on you. No kidding.
WHAT DOESN'T WORK: I just saw the film last night and I only remember two of the boys -- Maps and Misty. The others might as well be phantoms. Although the plot is interesting, the story as-played-out is not very compelling (although the epilogue is slightly moving). Scenes come and go with largely ill-defined characters and very little dialogue or explanation. This is definitely a picture where you'll have to read inbetween the lines to appreciate (which makes it good for repeat-viewings).
WHAT WORKS: The Kangaroo Island locations are fabulous, especially the high shots of Remarkable Rocks in Finders Chase National Park.
The picture really comes alive when Teresa Palmer, who plays femme fatale Lucy, is on screen. The dvd cover is deceiving in that Teresa looks to be about 12 years-old. Actually she was 20 during filming and plays an about-16 girl in the story with curvy legs from here to New York. Lucy' scenes with Maps are the highlight of the picture (not at all "awkward" as another reviewer contends). Lucy is aware of her tantalizing feminine powers and skillfully utilizes them to bewitch Maps with her love spell.
In addition to the Remarkable Rocks and Lucy, highlights include a secret cave high up on the rocks, a wild black horse who seems to fish, an Evel Knieval-type character who may not be as "Fearless" as he lets on, a colossal fish named Henry and the cantankerous old man fascinated by it.
The dvd feature about 10-minutes of deleted scenes that should have never been deleted. Make sure you catch 'em as they help explain the story better.
BOTTOM LINE: Although the story is merely okay as far as captivating and moving cinema goes, the highlights noted above compel me to give "December Boys" a 4/5 Star rating (or grade of "B"), in particular the scenic rocks/coast and Lucy.
If you like Teresa Palmer in this picture be sure to check her out in "Bedtime Stories" (2008), "Restraint" (2008) and "The Grudge 2" (2006).
Worth Every Minute 
2009-07-01 - The only reason I knew about this beautiful film was a preview for it on another DVD. Daniel Radcliffe is excellent -- and so are the other three "December Boys." This is a beautiful film, well acted, gorgeously photographed (made me want to call Quantas and head for Australia). I don't know why this film was so overlooked, because it very much deserves to be seen. There's a touch of the -- what? Mystical? -- that gave me a feeling similar to when I watch "The Secret of Roan Inish," tho' it's a totally different film.
Enjoy -- then spread the word!
Misty, water-colored memories... 
2009-05-05 - A man remembers a special time in his youth when he and three other orphans were given a holiday at the sea to celebrate their December birthdays. While there, the boys meet a young couple that may adopt one of them.
I wanted to like this movie, but it was a big let-down. The entire thing feels like a movie trailer, random scenes fading in and out with minimal dialogue, leading nowhere. The oldest of the four orphans is played by Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter), but he has relatively little screen time, mutters only a handful of words, and has no chance to shine. He struggles through some young-boy-coming-of-age stuff that feels really awkward. The other boys don't fare any better; they're all blandly interchangeable and we never get a sense of the deep bond they're supposed to have.
The photography is lovely, but the script just meanders through the holiday and then it's over. Nothing is resolved and even potentially touching scenes fall flat due to poor dialogue and editing. Disappointing.
