Despite being based on a novel by British writer Jonathan Trigell, many point out that this film is inspired by the real-life murder of James Bulger, which shocked the entire UK and the rest of the world.
In a retrospective scene young Eric and his friend Philip are walking around impersonating Spider-Man shooting web and swinging along the street. Andrew Garfield, the actor playing old Eric/ Jack, is Peter Parker/Spider-Man in El Sorprendente Hombre-Araña (2012).
The film received generally positive reviews from critics, with Andrew Garfieldb winning a British Academy Television Award for his performance.
Boy A (2007) is a British drama film directed by John Crowley, from a screenplay by Mark O'Rowe, based on the 2004 novel of the same name by Jonathan Trigell. The film stars Andrew Garfield in his film debut as Jack Burridge (né Eric Wilson), who is re-entering society under a new name in Manchester after having served 14 years in a Young Offender Institution; and Peter Mullan as Terry, Jack's caseworker. The novel is noted for similarities to the James Bulger case, whose offenders were released around the time of its publication.