About once or twice a year I find a film that has been seen by almost no one, and yet turns out to be outstanding and should have reached a much larger audience. Jet Boy is in this category. Branden Nadon gives such a superb performance as a boy "Nathan" turning 14 and living in conditions no child should have to endure, that it stirs the "rescue" urge in anyone with a conscience that something like this can happen in Canada or America. The story was written by the director David Schultz, and it is a terrific story. I don't agree that it is a bad movie that nevertheless moves the viewer. I admit it has a few flaws, but most movies do, and they are relatively minor here. Like how Dylan Walsh's "Boon" can so easily reject Nathan after being protective a minute earlier, or how they re-connect in Vancouver when neither knew where the other was in such a large city. Their extended hug near the end is very affecting, and did not hurt the movie in my opinion, as others have suggested. It reflected Boon's realization that he truly cared for Nathan, for he was influenced by his rekindled love interest telling him he is not (and does not have to be like) his own cold, dying, father. Still to see a movie with a raw ugly streetwise theme manage to be uplifting and presented in a way that even young teenagers can watch is quite an accomplishment. It was also great to see a boy who looked to be the age he was playing, rather than an adult playing a much younger person. The scenes where Boon reunites with his high school love and her 13 year old son are beautifully done, and the two boys are so real together, it's hard to believe they are acting. And when the two slightly older boys go out with them and they all get into minor trouble, it seems perfectly believable. Especially when Lloyd, the 13 year old, breaks down and cries at the police station. Each time after I have watched this film, it takes me 30 minutes to stop dwelling on it. I'm so glad I purchased this film sight unseen based on an Amazon recommendation. It is one of my all-time favorites already. I hope some of you reading this will do the same. You won't be sorry.
Review of Jet Boy
