Edwin Boyd

This was a pretty good bio drama, granted it lost itself at times and focused more on the human story than the usual shoot-em up gangster style movies. It actually reminded me a lot of 'Public Enemies' in the storytelling style. Scott Speedman was impressive in his conflicted portrayal of Edwin Boyd (Canada's very own John Dillinger) showing a quiet level of PTSD, strong love for his family, frustration and the excitement and cockiness experienced during the robberies.

Inspired by real events the story follows WWII veteran Edwin Boyd who, upon returning to Toronto after the war is disillusioned by a lack of opportunities. Frustrated by his job as a bus driver and embarrassed to still be relying on his father to help support his British war bride and two children. In time he turns to robbing banks, becoming one of the most famous criminals in Canadian history.

The period detail is well done here along with a bleak and cold filming style. I enjoyed Kevin Durand who plays fellow inmate/prison escapee and gang member Lenny Jackson. Brian Cox was also great in a smaller role as Boyd's judgemental (retired policeman) father.

I also liked the love story, as from beginning to end we see we see how much Boyd loves his wife Doreen, initially only robbing banks to support her and the kids but ultimately losing them in the process. The ending surprised me. It's entirely possible I crossed paths with an aged Boyd as he ended up living in the same province, you just never know. Worth checking out. 8/29/15

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-.

Okay, the movie is based on a true story (a fad nowadays, it seems), and it most certainly has its moments. But in general the entire flick lacks some panache. If it were a Canadian province, I'd say it's (northern) Manitoba on a Tuesday night.

While the main protagonist is portrayed rather decently, as well as his 'transformation' the rest of the movie is a bit stale and dry - I'd go so far to say clinically clean. Yeah, I get it, he's quite a normal guy, a victim of circumstance and all, trying to make ends meet and all. And I dig the story, but it's like eating a loaf of dry bread - you satisfy your hunger but without much joy. Personally I think the director (maybe as writer, too), tried a bit too hard to make it "arty" and forgot that a movie also should be entertaining, otherwise it's just bland ol' life. I'll keep the director in mind, maybe his next flick will be less Manitoba and more Québec.

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.