Review of Overnight (2003) by Aram F — 27 Jul 2005

Despite overwhelming popular opinion to the contrary, I actually enjoyed the oft-castigated Boondock Saints. While I don't think it's anything to write home about, I found it an enjoyable, if silly, shoot-em-up movie. Troy Duffy is certainly no Quentin Tarantino -- hell, he's barely a Renny Harlin -- but I enjoyed his one-trick pony enough to watch it a couple of times.

Oddly enough, the documentary about Duffy's life (and death) in Hollywood is much more interesting than Saints could ever hope to be. Overnight paints a picture of a loudmouthed, ruthless, bullying, egomaniacal asshole who burns all his bridges -- alienates his friends, sells out his family, calls Harvey Weinstein a "fat cocksucker" -- and still, somehow, manages to get this movie made, convinced that it, and he himself, are God's gift to cinema.

Watching this man's gargantuan ego -- an ego that far outstrips his talent or promise -- is riveting, in that morbid, car-crash kind of way. You will find yourself shaking your head in disbelief more than once at the sheer cajones of this guy, and marvel that this film got released at all.

I will say, after having watched this, that whatever little respect I had for the movie has diminished significantly after watching this documentary. But in any case, it's much better than the film that whose making it follows.

And the crowning irony is that they're making a Boondock Saints II. I hope they document that one as well.