Set in the 1950s, this is a drama about a divorcee's struggle to bring up her teenage son, and her attempts to introduce her new beau as a father figure.
When Caroline (Ellen Barkin) meets Dwight (Robert de Niro, pictured), who seems to be a kind man, she agrees to marry him, thinking he will be able to curb her son's bad behaviour. But Dwight turns out to have a cruel and tyrannical streak, and only succeeds in making her son Toby (Leonardo DiCaprio, pictured) hate him with a passion.
Not a totally successful effort from director Michael Caton-Jones, this 1993 drama potters possibly too long and drags a bit, but DiCaprio is on form as the rebellious son, learning to be a man.
Worth a look.
This Boy's Life is a Film programme that first aired in 1993 and has been classified a 15 certificate.
