Review of The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys (2002) by Tim W — 14 May 2004

[b][font=Times New Roman]This movie is "Stand By Me" Revisited. [/font][/b].

[b][font=Times New Roman]It is, primarily, the story of two young Catholic boys on the cusp of manhood; and one's discovery that the world is more nuanced, sometimes sadder, and occasionally richer than that which he knows. We watch the boyhood black-and-white vision of Frances Doyle, played with surprising depth by the very talented young artist Emile Hirsch, transform gradually to shades of grey as he closes the door on one phase of life to enter another, not even turning to glance over his shoulder. [/font][/b][b][font=Times New Roman]Kieran Culkin, too, turns in a simultaneously beautiful and tragic performance as Frances's best friend, Tim Sullivan. [/font][/b].

[b][font=Times New Roman]Somewhat brash and completely unapologetic, [i]Altar Boys [/i]delves the minds of 14-year-old boys in all their hormonal and conflicted glory; from the imaginary alter-lives they lead in the collusive effort of creating comic book heroes to Frances's first love testing the bounds of their friendship in ways both startling and completely expected, to an riotously-14-year-old-inspired plot to kill the nun they so detest - played with great reserve, yet to great effect by Jodie Foster - by loosing a cougar into her office, it's no-holds-barred and (at least I expect) dead-to-rights in depicting the indefatigability of boys' imagination and penchant for mischief as well as their youthful lack of concept for consequence.[/font][/b].

[b][font=Times New Roman]I am all about the characters and these were interesting and charming and exasperating; silly and rotten and exhilirating. Like "Stand By Me", the characters were richly drawn, well-layered and both primary players had very impressive depth for playing these roles as full-fledged people and not merely...well, not merely '14-year-old boys'. Unlike "Stand By Me", these characters were fleshier -- if for no other reason than because of the added two years' life experience. [/font][/b].

[b][font=Times New Roman]Hirsch's portrayal of Frances's battle within himself, in dealing with a very sensitive secret told him by first love Margie Flynn (Jena Malone does a great job) was realistic and truly conflicted -- not at all cut-and-dried -- and did a fine service to young men everywhere...even if her secret turned out to be a manipulative betrayal, of sorts. [/font][/b].

[b][font=Times New Roman]Culkin's Tim possessed a worldliness reflective of his love for William Blake and Edgar Allan Poe: as much in his critique of cartoon hero "KickAss" kicking the shit (literally -- the SHIT) out of Father Casey as in his tearful (but not over-wrought) roadside warning to Frances of , "Don't you ever tell me to 'Get real' again, okay? Because I know real." [/font][/b].

[b][font=Times New Roman]I kept catching myself thinking how the character Tim possessed the mystical combination of intelligence, wit, passion, and Devil-may-care bravado that drove me wild as a pre-teen girl, so while it was a unique juxstaposition that the slightly more uninspired Frances 'got the girl', it wasn't implausible, but rather added a bit more depth of curiosity to this unique and very interesting film. The very slightest hint of a reverse Cyrano early-on really was charming.[/font][/b].

[b][font=Times New Roman]If for no other reason than the performances, this film is worth checking out. I could see where in less-talented hands, the script and perhaps even the direction could've fallen flat, but the screen talent carried this one really, really well. Someone once said that they could be enthralled, watching D'Onofrio read the phone book. I concur completely, and this film was no exception to the greater amount of work I've seen of his: small parts, huge impressions. Jodie Foster is...well, she's Jodie Foster: if I need to say more, you haven't seen enough of her films. But these young actors are ones to watch for, I believe. [/font][/b].