The Boys of Baraka

Name: The Boys of Baraka
Genre: Documentary
Released: November 30, 2005
Duration: 84 min
Rating: 71

2005

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 20 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 7 Ratings

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6.7

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6.7	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 7 Ratings

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Boys Of Baraka

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Movie Details & Credits

THINKFilm | Release Date: November 30, 2005 | Unrated

Summary: On September 12, 2002 twenty "at risk" 12-year-old boys from the tough streets of inner-city Baltimore left home to attend the 7th and 8th grade at Baraka, an experimental boarding school located in Kenya, East Africa. Here, faced with a strict academic and disciplinary program as well as the freedom to be normal teenage boys, these braveOn September 12, 2002 twenty "at risk" 12-year-old boys from the tough streets of inner-city Baltimore left home to attend the 7th and 8th grade at Baraka, an experimental boarding school located in Kenya, East Africa. Here, faced with a strict academic and disciplinary program as well as the freedom to be normal teenage boys, these brave kids began the daunting journey towards putting their lives on a fresh path. This documentary focuses on four of these boys and captures their amazing journey. (Loki Films)… Expand

Director: Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady

Genre(s): Documentary

Rating: Unrated

Runtime: 84 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

TV Guide Magazine Ken Fox

Warmly funny and very moving. Read full review

100

M. E. Russell

The Boys of Baraka leaves you outraged in the way only the best documentaries can. Read full review

Jonathan Rosenbaum

Sensitive, intelligent, enlightening, and sometimes surprising. Read full review

Roger Ebert

Here is a movie that makes you want to do something. Cry, or write a check, or howl with rage. Read full review

Jami Bernard

The results are amazing, though bittersweet, and demonstrate how complicated and expensive it is (though not impossible) to break the cycle of poverty, crime and lack of education. Read full review

Stephen Holden

The Boys of Baraka is so rich that you wish there were more of it. Read full review

Laura Sinagra

The Boys of Baraka's heart may be in the right place, but its portrait of poor Baltimore kids selected to attend boarding school in Kenya is rife with suspect perspectives. Read full review

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User Reviews

M&V

Feb 23, 2006

We both loved the Boys of Baraka. Especially the hedgehog!

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GregoryM.

Dec 8, 2005

I saw this at the Chicago International Film Festival with a friend of mine who was a residential counselor at this school for 3 years. The film is well made and poignant, crafted with surprising skill from its freshmen directors. Unfortunately, there is a lot they left out for political I saw this at the Chicago International Film Festival with a friend of mine who was a residential counselor at this school for 3 years. The film is well made and poignant, crafted with surprising skill from its freshmen directors. Unfortunately, there is a lot they left out for political purposes so a film that sets out to examine urban life, poverty, crime and race ends up neglecting the institutionalization of these same problems.… Expand

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K.Douglas

Jun 20, 2006

Like Hoop Dreams,both hopeful and heartbreaking.Unlike H.D.,not enough background material to fully satisfy the audience.

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