Edwin Boyd

I did not really sync with this movie until Boyd stopped his bus to carry on a wounded vet who was in a wheel chair. He carried him over his back. The faces in the bus were all blank and without expression, you would think risking your life for your country was worth at least some feeling. I can remember growing up in Canada in the 50s, everyone had a stiff upper lip, very few ever talked about WWII. My uncle least of all, until his son, a fireman, was killed saving a man from a burning apartment. Suddenly his days on Malta during the German blitz came back. The movie captured the chill of post WWII and the bleak Victorian like atmosphere in Toronto. The scenes from the Don Jail were totally Gothic, even now the mention of the jail sends shivers down your spine. Nowadays, our wars are fought without declaration, our soldiers are sent to places where they don't even know who the enemy is. We expect that our society will be protected by superheros. The truth is that ordinary people fight for our freedom without fanfare, and unfortunately often with no support when they come home. This movie was a perfect description of this.

Handsomely shot, with a slick, cold style, this movie plays out like a made for TV production with (slightly) better production values. As a non-Canadian who always sees a lot of Canadian films while attending the Toronto Film Festival, I just couldn't bring myself to care about this lead character. Played by the solid but ultra-bland Scott Speedman (who is looking more and more mature but whose handsomeness is wearing thin), we follow the adventures and travails of a famous Canadian historical personage. But "Bonnie and Clyde" this is not. On the contrary the movie suffers from a lack of zest, a lack of energy. Speedman is nice to look at but he brings no sense of urgency to anything he does. I know it's a stretch, but compare this to Warren Beatty, who was the very definition of a sex icon but who brought a goofy, affable, ever-so-slightly psycho charm to his Clyde Barrow. We get none of that here. Not even close. On the plus side I enjoyed some of the minor characters and for a first film it's reasonably well directed. BUT...and this is a big "but"...there is a deficit of real drama. This genre has been done so well by so many A-list directors and actors that a minor entry into the realm just isn't enough. I'm adding a star because I think this director could have a future but I don't see this film traveling south of its Canadian audience, nor does it deserve to. And truth be told I don't think most Canucks will care either. The film doesn't give them a good enough reason to, and this, above all, is its failing.

"Your dreams, you made them ours. I believed you. I didn't think it would be like this Eddie." Eddie Boyd (Speedman) is living day to day as a bus driver trying to provide for his family. When a rider boards his bus one day he rethinks his life. With his house facing foreclosure and barely being able to scrape by he goes to a director in hopes of becoming a movie star. When all else fails he resorts to robbing banks. I knew very little about this going in and was actually surprised when I found out that this was a true story. This movie is very very similar to "Public Enemies" in story and pacing. While this was a good movie that is worth watching it is feels very long and drawn out. Speedman does a pretty good job in this as well as most of the other cast. The only real problem I had with this was the same I had with "Public Enemies". I felt it hard to stay focused on it the entire time and was losing interest off and on. This is not a bad movie but be prepared for it. Overall, as close to a remake of "Public Enemies" you can get. Good, but long. I give it a B-.

For once a Canadian film set in Canada, without an American "name" star and done in a distinctively Canadian style. There's non Hollywood glitz. Indeed most of it is shot in the winter with typical Canadian winter scenes. (Hollywood never does that unless it's a movie about skiing.) Nor are the bad guys glamourized. The Boyd Gang may have been the closest thing we have to Bonnie and Clyde. But they aren't wrapped in tinsel the way B&C were. Nor is there any of the excess gunplay that Hollywood so loves. The entire film is shot in a low saturated colour --- almost black and white --- which, with the many winter scenes, gives it a gritty feel that is altogether appropriate. They also have done a superb job of recreating the late forties and early fifties. The cars, the furniture, the clothing, the interiors are truly representative of the era. I know. We once had a bedroom set and a kitchen table identical to ones in the film. All the more surprising that there are two major goofs...a widescreen movie theatre and a home telephone which looks nothing like the standard black Bell Canada handset that was universal in those days. But those are small points. This is a gripping, graphic, genuine piece of work.

Edwin Boyd is a fast-paced roller coaster film that proves fact can indeed be stranger than fiction. It is filled with poignant, heartbreaking moments. Boyd longed to be a Hollywood star and he would no doubt have a joyous tear in his eye to see this beautiful portrait of his life on the big screen.

First-time filmmakers can certainly take notes and learn a thing or two from Nathan Morlando here. Morlando (also the screenwriter) executes this ambitious true story period piece on a low budget with such excellence you'd think he's been making films for years.

The flow and tone of the film don't scream "period piece" -- which is a great thing and a conscious decision. It feels modern and slick, for instance, with the hand-held camera, particularly during the bank robbery scenes, which really place you right in the middle of the action. The soundtrack is also genius. Morlando mixes up the old tunes of that era with the jolting sounds of modern bands that feel like they could be from another time and place in history (i.e. The Black Keys). It's totally unexpected and completely exciting while watching. Brilliant work.

The overall aesthetic look to the film is stunning. Shot on film, giving it warmth and life, it still has this cool grey almost newsreel type of look to it, only using flashy, vibrant colours where necessary; making them all the more gorgeous.

Scott Speedman plays the title role and he truly shines in the tricky part. He shows off tremendous range as an actor. From the inner frustration and sadness simmering just below the surface, to the eventual angry blow ups, to the fun-loving gentleman-thief dancing around the banks and flirting with tellers; Speedman shows us he is capable of great things.

The supporting cast is outstanding as well and they all play their parts just perfectly in showing off the different faces of Eddie Boyd (big praise to Morlando as well for fleshing out each character so well in the script in order to get deeper into the psyche of our lead character).

The interactions with the fellas in the Boyd gang are so exciting and fun to watch, especially during their prison breaks and bank robberies -- you're placed right in the middle of the action, feeling like the fifth member of their gang. The scenes with Eddie and his wife Doreen, played by Kelly Reilly are beautiful and poignant. Completely in love at first, their relationship becomes strained over the years due to Eddie's lifestyle decisions, despite the love for each other always being there. Brian Cox does a great job playing Eddie's father (a retired police officer), adding a sad tension and insight in their tattered father-son relationship.

Overall, Edwin Boyd is an extremely well-crafted film. Not just for a first-time director, but for any filmmaker; it's solid all the way around. Morlando handles the tricky, ambitious material of a real-life figure with total poise and precision. You'll laugh, you'll cry and you'll be on the edge of your seat.

Definitely consider checking out this film. I can't wait to see it again.