Andrew Garfield stars as a young man recently released from prison after spending most of his young life behind bars for the murder of a girl in Boy A.

A 24-year-old man who has spent most of his young life in juvenile prisons for being the accomplice in the murder of a girl tries to create a new identity for himself in the provocative social drama Boy A, which will have its first showing at 1:15 p.m. tomorrow at the Opera House as part of the 11th Newport International Film Festival.

The former Eric Wilson has been renamed Jack in a sort of Witness Protection Program for parolees in Britain. But although Jack has a new name, a new past history, a new city and a new job, he discovers that it’s not easy keeping his old real self a secret.

Boy A, based on a novel by Jonathan Trigell and with a screenplay by Mark O’Rowe, asks the audience whether someone convicted of a heinous crime should be allowed a second chance. That Jack (Andrew Garfield) has an innocent, open face makes the question all the more difficult. He’s sweet-natured, easy going and, in flashbacks, we see how he was influenced by an anti-social larcenous pal to help commit murder.

Encouraged by his case worker, Terry (Peter Mullan), Jack is a little nervous yet eager to make a new start. His new boss knows that Jack had been in prison, but assumes it was for auto theft as does a co-worker who befriends him.

It’s difficult for Jack to get back into the swing of the dating scene, although he eventually begins a romance with a co-worker, Michelle (Katie Lyons), handled with realistic awkwardness and sensitivity by director John Crowley.

Yet Jack’s real past is never far away in his dreams and daydreams which come alive in flashbacks as the film jumps back and forth from the present to the past. He begins to feel that his life is “a little bit dishonest” and worries when the local newspaper runs a spread on his quiet release from prison, complete with a doctored photo to show how Eric Wilson might look today, a photo that looks remarkably like Jack.

Before long, Jack discovers that no good deed goes unpunished after he and a co-worker become heroes for rescuing a girl from a car wreck. Suddenly, there’s the one thing Jack fears in his life — publicity.

Boy A is slow to set up its situation, but it has a shocking payoff. Garfield is very good as the conflicted Jack and the other actors give the film a touch of reality. A subplot revolves around the return of Terry’s long-estranged son and the pent-up resentment he has for his father, something which will have shattering consequences for all.

Boy A will be shown at 1:15 p.m. tomorrow and 3:30 p.m. Sunday at the Opera House as part of the Newport International Film Festival. Tickets are $10, sold at the box office at 22 Broadway, online at www.newportfilmfestival.com and (401) 835-5356.

*** 1/2Boy A

Starring: Andrew Garfield, Terry Mullan, Katie Lyons, Taylor Doherty.

Rated: Not rated, contains sex, violence, adult themes, profanity.

mjanuson@projo.com