I loved the cover of the DVD box which is probably why I ended up buying it. It sat for a month or two on my shelf until my friend and I decided to have a movie night and 'Borstal Boy' was one of those selected.
I enjoyed the film, the acting was good, but something just didn't feel complete by the end of the movie - my friend had read the book on which it was based, and suggested that I read it.
Having borrowed the book from the library, I read it in one sitting. The book was an assured piece of prose, and gave me both insight and information into what was going on politically and socially at the time that Brendan got sent to the borstal system in Britain.
As I have said I loved the movie, but it covers so small a time capsule compared to the book, that it is not reflective of what happened to Brendan. Watch the movie for what it is, a good yarn, well acted, with lovely scenic shots but a touch slow in parts; read the book afterwards to get the full story
Dave