Capturing a memoir is tough as insights and thoughts carry a different weight on film, but screenwriter Allan Cubbitt has successfully grappled with the heart of Simon Carr's novel to create a substantial emotional backdrop for his characters. Director Scott Hicks injects passion and melancholy in equal parts as he tells the story of a man struggling to cope with not only a young son pushing the boundaries of love, but a teenager he hardly knows, who is eager to find his own corner in the sun. . . Owen finds the perfect balance between thoughtful, sad, dutiful and loving and our hearts sigh for him as he struggles uphill the whole time. Little McAnulty delivers an endearingly natural performance as Artie, while McKay shows maturity as the teenager dogged by rejection and conflict. All the performances are excellent including Julia Blake as Artie's caring grandmother who has her own views on parenting."  Urban Cinefile