IMDb > The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys (2002)
The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys
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The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys (2002) More at IMDbPro »

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The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys (2002) -- A group of Catholic school friends, after being caught drawing an obscene comic book, plan a heist that will outdo their previous prank and make them local legends.
The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys (2002) -- Trailerfan.com - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
7.0/10   7,497 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 3% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers (WGA):
Chris Fuhrman (book)
Jeff Stockwell (screenplay) ...
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Contact:
View company contact information for The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
17 May 2002 (Germany) more
Genre:
Tagline:
One of the most inventive, funny coming-of-age films in years! more
Plot:
A group of Catholic school friends, after being caught drawing an obscene comic book, plan a heist that will outdo their previous prank and make them local legends. full summary | add synopsis
Awards:
2 wins more
NewsDesk:
(7 articles)
Assassination Of A High School President DVD Review
 (From AreYouScreening. 12 October 2009, 2:08 PM, PDT)

Lymelife DVD Review
 (From Collider.com. 25 September 2009, 8:41 AM, PDT)

User Comments:
authentic portrayal of adolescence more (121 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Emile Hirsch ... Francis Doyle

Kieran Culkin ... Tim Sullivan

Vincent D'Onofrio ... Father Casey

Jena Malone ... Margie Flynn
Jake Richardson ... Wade Scalisi
Tyler Long ... Joey Anderson

Jodie Foster ... Sister Assumpta
Arthur Bridgers ... Donny Flynn (as Arthur Bridges)
Scott Simpson ... Newsie

Melissa Suzanne McBride ... Mrs. Doyle (as Melissa McBride)

Michael Harding ... Mr. Doyle (as Mike Harding)

Chandler McIntyre ... Naturalist
Jeffrey West ... Professor Sullivan
Yvonne Erickson ... Mrs. Sullivan
Nicky Olson ... Colin Gibbney
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Additional Details

MPAA:
Rated R for language, sexual content and youth substance use.
Runtime:
104 min | Argentina:105 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Company:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Chris Fuhrman died of cancer before completing the final draft of the book. The movie is dedicated to him at the beginning of the final credits. more
Goofs:
Anachronisms: When Francis is purchasing a comic book at the magazine stand, several comics on the rack (The Punisher, Namor, Nocturne & Quasar) are from the 1990s although the film is set in the 1970s. more
Quotes:
Joey Anderson: That's not true guys, cus there is a bone in your penis, thats why they call it a boner.
Wade Scalisi: oh, oh yea you're right... SHUT UP!
[hits Joey]
Joey Anderson: what was that for?
Wade Scalisi: You're an idiot.
more
Movie Connections:
Soundtrack:
The Atomic Trinity v.s. The Hell's Devil's more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
5 out of 7 people found the following comment useful.
authentic portrayal of adolescence, 17 July 2002
Author: thomandybish from Weaverville, NC

THE DANGEROUS LIVES OF ALTAR BOYS, based on the only novel of the late author Chris Fuhrman, gives a great portrayal of the ups and downs of adolescence. Despite veering wildly away from the novel, the film does a great job of transposing moments of boredom-inspired adolescent lunacy with aching transcendence (the scene in which Francis, the protagonist, akwardly talks to his dream girl Margie for the first time made MY heart flutter, and I haven't been 14 for a while!)Still, I wished that the scriptwriters had stuck closer to the book in some respects, especially detailing Francis' home life, which would have given greater insight into WHY he uses his drawing as an escape(and he has a heavy-duty reason to escape). For the guy who wondered in his review about Tim and Francis' home lives, let's just say that Francis' parents are WAY more disfunctional in the book than in the movie. Even with the parents' virtual absence from the movie, there are still great moments that were more or less transferred from book to screen: the scene in Margie's bedroom(although a bit more explicit in the book);Tim and Francis' finding the dying dog by the highway and Tim's subsequent soliloquy; the fateful journey into the wildlife preserve. Painful, beautiful, and true. See this one.

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