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Movies / On DVD / The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys
The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys

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The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys (2002)

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77 %
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Reviews Counted: 109

Fresh: 84

Rotten:25

Average Rating: 6.5/10

Consensus: The inter-cutting of animation by Spawn's creator, Todd McFarlane, doesn't always work, but the performances by the young actors capture the pains of growing up well.

Rated: R [See Full Rating] for language, sexual content and youth substance use

Runtime: 1 hr 45 mins

Genre: Dramas

Theatrical Release: Jun 14, 2002 Limited

Box Office: $1,507,000

Synopsis: Set in the rural South in the 1970s in a Catholic school, four pre-teen boys (Kieran Culkin, Emile Hirsch, Jake Richardson, and Tyler Long) create a comic book called "The Atomic Trinity" to channel their creativity, imagination, and... Set in the rural South in the 1970s in a Catholic school, four pre-teen boys (Kieran Culkin, Emile Hirsch, Jake Richardson, and Tyler Long) create a comic book called "The Atomic Trinity" to channel their creativity, imagination, and rebellious adolescent angst. They each develop their own superhero and, in doing so, live out fantasy lives through their empowered, unchained alter egos. Their evil adversaries are exaggerated characters designed after their teachers: Sister Assumpta (Jodie Foster) the stark, peg-legged nun; and Father Casey (Vincent D'Onofrio), the shady, chain-smoking priest. The spotlight of the film shines clearly on the handsome Francis (Hirsch) whose crush on his neighbor and schoolmate, Margie Flynn (Jenna Malone), leaves him tongue-tied. Tim (Culkin) is bolder, and so he rewrites a William Blake poem and uses it to bring together secretly dark Margie with wide-eyed Francis. Their relationship flowers into one of the heavier and more mysterious subplots in the film. Margie is instantly written into the comic as a wounded warrior-heroine who enlists the superheroes to help her in her battles against evil. Meanwhile, the boys are busy planning--and occasionally executing--devilish pranks at school, eventually taking things a step too far, to tragic result. Based on the Chris Fuhrman book of the same name, adapted to the screen by writer Jeff Stockwell, THE DANGEROUS LIVES OF ALTAR BOYS from director Peter Care is an edgy, engrossing, teen rebellion flick. Extensive animated sequences share a good amount of screen time with the live action narrative, and a prescient musical score by Marco Beltrami and Joshua Homme provides the perfect accent to the action of the film. [More]

Starring: Emile Hirsch, Kieran Culkin, Jena Malone, Jodie Foster

Starring: Emile Hirsch, Kieran Culkin, Jena Malone, Jodie Foster, Vincent D'Onofrio, Jake Richardson, Tyler Long

Director: Peter Care

Director: Peter Care
Screenwriter: Jeff Stockwell
Producer: Jodie Foster, Meg LeFauve, Jay Shapiro
Composer: Marco Beltrami
Studio: ThinkFilm

[See More Credits]

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Release:

Nov 5, 2002

[DVD Details]
 
 

DVD Features:

  • Region 1
  • Keep Case
  • Widescreen

Audio:

  • Dolby Digital 5.1 - English

Additional Relase Material:

  • Audio Commentary - 1. Peter Care - Director, Jeff Stockwell - Screenwriter
  • Featurette - 1. Sundance Channel ANATOMY OF A SCENE
  • 2. Making Of
  • Animated Scene Collecton with Optional Commentary by Animation Director Todd McFarlane
  • Trailers - 1. Theatrical
  • 2. TV Spots
  • Deleted Scenes
  • Cast & Filmmaker Interviews

Interactive Features:

  • Interactive Menus
  • Scene Selection

Text/Photo Galleries:

  • Production Notes
  • Cast/Filmmaker Bios
  • Animation Illustrations

DVD-Rom Features:

  • Web Links

Reviews for The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys

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Ratings Image

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Full Review Source: Sacramento News & Review | comment Comment
08/07/08
Mark Halverson
Sacramento News & Review
Ratings Image

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Film Threat | comment Comment
12/06/05
Film Threat
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
Ratings Image

Esforça-se ao máximo para arrancar lágrimas do espectador, mas, com exceção da performance cativante de Culkin, o filme empalidece diante de tantos outros do gênero.

comment Comment
05/20/05
Pablo Villaca
Cinema em Cena
Ratings Image

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Apollo Guide | comment Comment
05/13/05
Apollo Guide
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
Ratings Image

Devious, delinquent, and diverting.

Full Review Source: Oregon Herald | comment Comment
11/12/04
Mark Sells
Oregon Herald
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: FilmStew.com | comment Comment
02/01/04
FilmStew.com
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
Ratings Image

A fairly formulaic '70s-set coming-of-age tale that's ultimately distinguished by the passion of its makers and players.

Full Review Source: Mr. Brown's Movies | comment Comment
01/12/04
Michael Dequina
Mr. Brown's Movies
Ratings Image

The only bright spot in the whole movie is Vincent D'Onofrio's performance as a priest.

Full Review Source: Reel Film Reviews | comment Comment
04/19/03
David Nusair
Reel Film Reviews
Ratings Image

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Nick's Flick Picks | comment Comment
01/10/03
Nick Davis
Nick's Flick Picks
Ratings Image

Ultimately feels empty and unsatisfying, like swallowing a Communion wafer without the wine.

Full Review Source: Film Threat | comment Comment
12/08/02
Merle Bertrand
Film Threat
Ratings Image

Best suited for those who can recall their stifling and intense Catholic School education from back in the day, Altar Boys is certainly a worthwhile way to spend 90-some minutes.

Full Review Source: DVD Clinic | comment Comment
11/28/02
Scott Weinberg
DVD Clinic
Ratings Image

I did not care much for the last part of the film, but the three-quarters of it is good enough that I'm recommending it.

Full Review Source: Laramie Movie Scope | comment Comment
11/12/02
Robert Roten
Laramie Movie Scope
Ratings Image

Even though it is infused with the sensibility of a video director, it doesn't make for completely empty entertainment

Full Review Source: Matinee Magazine | comment Comment
11/03/02
Jason Clark
Matinee Magazine
Ratings Image

often successful in capturing the turbulent emotions of the early teen years... not nearly as convincing when it attempts to create a believable environment or forge a dramatic path.

Full Review Source: Kalamazoo Gazette | comment Comment
10/26/02
James Sanford
Kalamazoo Gazette
Ratings Image

Worth seeing (at least the first 90 minutes) for Hirsch, Malone and Culkin.

Full Review Source: San Diego Metropolitan | comment Comment
10/21/02
Jean Lowerison
San Diego Metropolitan
Ratings Image

Aged cliches and gimmicks vie with fresh ideas for supremacy in The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys; the outcome at best is a draw.

Full Review Source: Cincinnati Enquirer | comment Comment
10/15/02
Margaret A. McGurk
Cincinnati Enquirer
Ratings Image

'The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys manages to capture that impossible time when idealism clashes with reality and religion, wrapped inside a delicious nostalgia...'

Full Review Source: Metro Times (Detroit, MI) | comment Comment
10/04/02
Anita Schmaltz
Metro Times (Detroit, MI)
Ratings Image

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: EricDSnider.com | comment Comment
09/18/02
Eric D. Snider
EricDSnider.com
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Seattle Post-Intelligencer | comment Comment
09/12/02
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
Ratings Image

... a lingering, haunting sensibility that shades characters with ambiguous grays compels us to consider forgiving even the most evil characters

Full Review Source: Old School Reviews | comment Comment
09/01/02
John A. Nesbit
Old School Reviews
1 - 20 (sorted by date)
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Latest News for The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys

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Related Forums for The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys

REEL_REVIEWER
THE DANGEROUS LIVES OF ALTAR BOYS scares up one nomination!
by: REEL_REVIEWER 8/14/04


REEL_REVIEWER
THE DANGEROUS LIVES OF ALTAR BOYS scares up one nomination!
by: REEL_REVIEWER 8/14/04


REEL_REVIEWER
THE DANGEROUS LIVES OF ALTAR BOYS scares up one nomination!
by: REEL_REVIEWER 8/14/04


REEL_REVIEWER
THE DANGEROUS LIVES OF ALTAR BOYS scares up one nomination!
by: REEL_REVIEWER 8/14/04


Peace161
When is this movie released in Australia?
by: Peace161 12/13/03
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