Andrew Garfield is mostly just known for Spider-Man, at least in the US. He's the funny, wise-cracking dork that most fans have come to begrudgingly respect, despite the perceived irrelevance of his Sony remake. He's worked on a few other high-profile projects, including the haunting Never Let Me Go and one of the most maligned episodes of Doctor Who in recent years. For the most part, he's a rising star, with most of his best performances ahead of him. But then there's this little, unassuming film he made a few years ago called Boy A, which few people saw outside of the UK. It was the story of a young man just being released from a juvenile detention center after years of imprisonment for a childhood murder. It's an incredibly circumspect, interesting film that asks questions about the nature of forgiveness and rehabilitation and second chances. Can you ever really escape your past? Garfield is a revelation, and he imbues the character with such humanity that audiences can't help but sympathize with his plight, even though his boyhood role in the murder is left purposefully ambiguous.
Audrey Fox is an ex-film student, which means that she prefers to spend her days in the dark, watching movies and pondering the director's use of diegetic sound. She currently works as an entertainment writer, joyfully rambling about all things film and television related. Add her on Twitter at @audonamission and check out her film blog at 1001moviesandbeyond.com.
