Terri DiBono and Steve Rosen's documentary explores the emotional challenges faced by men who were sexually molested as boys, describing the difficult recovery process through the stories of more than 20 individuals, including Glenn Kulik, who is the primary focus. A one-time aspiring actor, Kulik lays the blame for his many years of homelessness and various addiction problems on unreported abuse incidents that took place when he was 10, involving a friend's uncle; now 47, Kulik still has anger-management issues (at one point we see him smashing a window for no apparent reason). Family members and friends, mental health professionals, and victims advocates are among those interviewed in Boyhood Shadows, which details examples of activism and looks at the legal pursuit of pedophiles, along with group therapy sessions that draw participants out of their isolation, and literary and theatrical endeavors that bring the subject to a wider audience. While citing the heavily publicized cases involving Roman Catholic priests, the filmmakers stress that those constitute a small portion of a much broader problem (the film makes the shocking statement that one in six boys is sexually abused, although this statistic is unfortunately not attributed to any specific source). Although its intentions are clearly noble, Boyhood Shadows would have benefited from tighter organization, while a soundtrack song with a chorus insisting there is no God will be offensive to some and is certainly off-topic. Even so, this should be considered a strong optional purchase. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)
Boyhood Shadows
(2010) 78 min. DVD: $295. Landmark Media. PPR. Volume 26, Issue 2
Boyhood Shadows
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