Boys From The Back Of Beyond
2018 · 13m
Directed by Jonny Madderson, Jono Stevens
Genres: documentary, sports
Ireland's Olympic medal-winning rowers reveal their gallic charm and unusual training in a feel-good sports documentary.
Picked by Zoe
The scouts
Feels like every other sports doc that's been made since they invented the GoPro—charming lads, inspirational arc, the usual suspects. You could swap out the rowing for cycling and nobody would blink.
Competent observational documentary with a clear throughline and genuine warmth; sits comfortably in the lineage of humanistic sports portraiture, though it doesn't interrogate or extend that tradition in any particular way.
The decision to let the athletes' own humor and self-awareness become the engine—rather than leaning on voiceover or manipulative score—is what makes this feel fresh; it's a small structural choice that lets personality do all the heavy lifting.
Reviews
It's a fairytale underdog story told by a wickedly talented directing team. Full of camera comedy and quick edits akin to an action film, Madderson and Stevens' filmmaking will sweep you up for a comic, entertaining, and emotional ride.