Mallboy (2001): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 2001, Mallboy is a notable film directed by Vincent Giarrusso, running about 82 minutes. “Just Another Ordinary Australian Family” — that tagline sets the tone.

What it’s about. A boy climbs an unsteady path to adulthood under difficult circumstances in this drama from Australia. Shaun (Kane McNay) is a teenager growing up in a run-down suburb of Melbourne. His father Sam (Brett Swain) is in prison, while his mother Jenny (Nell Feeney) is too lost in her problems with alcohol to provide much guidance for her children. Left to his own devices, Shaun commits petty theft, smokes pot, and deals drugs to his friends as they hang out at the nearby shopping mall. Shaun seems unable to reach out to anyone, not even his girlfriend (Lauren Hawker) or Darren (Brett Tucker), a social worker eager to help him. When his father is released from prison and brings his mistress to the "Welcome Home" party Jenny throws for him, Shaun comes to realize that if he is ever to resolve his problems, he will have to do it without the help of his family. Mallboy marked the feature film debut for writer/director Vincent Giarrusso.

Who’s in it. Mallboy stars Kane McNay as Shaun, Nell Feeney as Jenny, Brett Swain as Sam and Joey Kennedy as Janice.

How it landed. With an audience score of 5.0/10, Mallboy has proved divisive with audiences.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Mallboy page.