|
| • Advanced Search • Help |
The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys | Year: 2002 Classification: Drama Directed: - Peter Care Actors/Actresses: - Kieran Culkin - Jena Malone uneven, well acted film "The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys" is NOT, as you might expect, a film about predatory priests, but rather a slice-of-life tale about four malcontent Catholic schoolboys who spend most of their free time devising preposterously elaborate and life-threatening practical jokes to play on the faculty members of their school. As a coming-of-age drama, the film is fairly conventional in its plotting - i.e. young boys, in their rebellion against the uncomprehending adult world, experiment with drugs, first love, sex and general rule breaking - although there is a tricky and touchy incest-related subplot that is handled with a certain amount of delicacy and sensitivity. The highlight of the movie is the outstanding performances delivered by youngsters Emile Hirsch, Kieran Culkin and Jena Malone, whom you might remember as the young Jodie Foster in "Contact." In fact, Foster herself appears in this film (in addition to co-producing it) as the uptight nun, Sister Assumpta. Unfortunately, her character is probably the least well developed one in the film, a fact that seems more obvious than it otherwise might if an actress of Foster's caliber were not playing the part. The film also displays a nice feeling for its early-70's setting and does a good job capturing the way young people actually speak and communicate (the cast members have their nonverbal expressions and gestures down beautifully as well). Working from the novel by Chris Fuhrman, screenwriters Jeff Stockwell and Michael Petroni, along with director Peter Care, interrupt the live action at regular intervals to provide animated sequences that are ostensibly derived from the anarchic superhero comic book on which the gifted boys are collaborating. We know that these sequences are intended to provide a kind of fantasy alternate universe for these troubled kids who seem to find no meaning in the restricted world of religion and rules in which they find themselves, but the fact is that these sections of the film, not very creative in themselves, merely serve to thrust us out of the story at crucial moments. "The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys" is an odd and somewhat misleading title for this film, since most of the "danger" these boys face is, primarily, a product of their own stupidity and not of their religious upbringing. Indeed, the religious figures in the film are mainly cranky and/or ineffectual, not really dangerous. "The Dangerous Live of Altar Boys" is an uneven film, but the superb performances by its youthful cast members make it ultimately worth seeing. See it, not just for Jodie Foster I saw this movie recently at the Seattle International Film Festival. I admit, out of all the choices, I picked this movie because Jodie was in it, in an unusual role - Assumpta, a nun, teaching in a school. And she was great, even though she had to fill the shoes of someone with seemingly little warmth and a peg leg to boot. She is also one of the producers. But truly, the reasons to see this movie are far more diverse...<BR>The script is touching, funny, and dark - adapted from the debut novel of the late Chris Fuhrman. The protagonists here are the teenage boys, Francis and Tim, who live in a world of their own construction. They're comic book heroes, the nun is a super-villain, and Margie, the girl that Francis is interested in serves as a damsel in distress... Todd MacFarlane, the comic-book genius, created the animated sequences in which the stories spun by the boys come to life. The problems, of course, start when the real world's demands interfere with the fiction. Francis' first love is the first sign of coming-of-age that may tear him apart from the trouble-free (in the adult sense of the word) life. The secret that Margie later reveals is another blow, adding to his confusion. It's hard not to grow apart from his friends in the process. <BR>Tim grows visibly fearful that he may lose his friend, and involves him in the increasingly envelope-pushing, dangerous stunts against their shared enemy, Sister Assumpta. And Francis, probably as unwilling to face the responsibilities and dangers of the real life, goes along with Tim, only to regret it later. It is a testament to the power of the movie that when the credits rolled and "In Memory of Chris Fuhrman" were the first words, the audience gasped in disappointment, as one. Such good novels as the one this movie is based on are hard to come by, and it's a tragedy to lose this wonderful writer. I suppose this review is a recommendation to read the book as well as see the movie. Totally great The Dangerous Lives of Alter Boys is kind of like a cross between The Virgin Suicides and Stand By Me. Set in the 70's (featuring many cool 70's haircuts) in small town Georgia, the story focuses on Francis, a 14-year-old dreamer and troublemaker. He and his pals, Tim, Wade, and Joey cope with life under the oppressive rule of one-legged nun Sister Assumpta (Jodie Foster) at the Puritan Christian high school they're unfortunate enough to attend. One of their methods of escape is the 'The Atomic Trinity' comic book. Each of them have their own character with superpowers (such as The Muscle, Captain Asskicker and Skeleton Boy), battling against the tyrannical regime of Nunzilla/Pegleg (a gross caricature of Sister Assumpta). These fantasy stories make up the terrific animated sequences of the film. The cool thing is that they are not so totally removed from the reality of Francis, Tim, Wade and Joey. The boys soon find their way into a lot of trouble though. After stealing the school's nun statue mascot the quartet plan to steal a cougar from the zoo and put in Sister Assumpta's office. A mad plan yes, but their determination and invention behind it is very clever. Some scenes of the film are very emotional, so if you have soft spot you'll find it tough to get through the scene where Tim finds a dying dog by the side of the road or Francis reading a poem at the funeral. Francis' relationship with Margie (the very cute Jenna Malone) also takes many curious and unique turns. The scene with the ghost watching them sleep was pleasingly weird. Taken from the one and only book (posthumously) by Chris Fuhrman (a book I must get as soon as I see), The Dangerous Lives of Alter Boys is attractively shot, wonderfully acted and definitely worth getting. The DVD is in 1.85:1 widescreen (strangely non-anamorphic, though the region 2 version is) with Dolby 5.1 sound and a mild bunch of extras. Buy The Dangerous Lives Of Altar Boys at Amazon.com Buy posters at Allposters.com Jamster - the latest ringtones for your phone!  Search with Walhello on the Internet on The Dangerous Lives Of Altar Boys Search with the Priority Search Engine on The Dangerous Lives Of Altar Boys This page in other languages: Suomeksi | Nederlands | Deutsch
|
