Review: THE BOONDOCK SAINTS (1999)
December 11th 2008 23:37
The Boondock Saints - 7/10
Written and Directed by Troy Duffy
Starring: Willem Dafoe, Sean Patrick Flanery, Norman Reedus, and David Della Rocco
After two fraternal Irish twins inadvertently kick ass in a bar fight with three Russian Mafiosos, they are attacked the next morning by two of the soldiers, wielding strange bandages and menacing guns. When Connor (Flannery) manages to save Murphy's (Reedus) life and kill the two goons, they wind up in a Boston Police Department jail cell. Over night, they receive a message from God, telling them to "destroy that which is evil, so that which is good may flourish." Receiving help from their best friend Rocco (Rocco), the brothers go on a war against all evil men in Boston, and end up going further than they ever thought possible, and are equally hailed and hated by Boston citizens, dubbing them "The Boondock Saints."
The Boondock Saints is one of those rare gems that manages to sneak up behind you when you least expect it. I first saw it back in the summer of 2002, and after watching the first time, I watched it all over again, engrossed in everything about it.
The wonderful thing about Saints is that it is one of those movies that allows you to do that. Duffy lets you sit there and enjoy all the funny moments and catchy dialogue, and then counts on you to not only watch it one more time, but over and over again. First, I watched it because I was interested in the plot. I am Irish, and the idea that two Irish brothers (who have no affiliation with the over cliched IRA) go around and let loose on inner-city Boston's mob appealed very much to me. However, I have watched it over and over again because of many more reasons: the actors, the music, and most of all, the writing.
Choosing Norman Reedus and Sean Patrick Flannery for the roles of Murphy and Connor McManus seemed like the most logical idea possible. The two play the roles with real passion, and showed their devotion for their religion and each other not from just their dialogue alone, but the way they would walk, talk, or even look at each other.
I don't know if Troy Duffy had Willem Dafoe in mind for the role of Angent Smecker all along, but if someone else were planned, I am glad to see that did not happen. Smecker's 'rendezvous' with the other police officers brought a very welcomed wit to an otherwise serious plot. You would be amazed how many times you will laugh when watching this film, given the plot. David Ferry, Brian Mahoney, and Bob Marley (no not the reggae man) star as Boston PD's detectives who are unwillingly brought under the wing of Smecker and must endure his...flamboyant mood swings. The constant arguments between Smecker and Greenley (Marley) provide much of the comic relief in those scenes.
Now, there is an actor in this film who never before starred in any film, and most likely, never will again. It is not because his is a horrible actor; quite the contrary. This actor is David Della Rocco, drinking buddy of writer/director Troy Duffy, who wrote Rocco in as himself. Rocco is the Italian version of a backwoods redneck: scruffy, rude, drunk, and always willing to meet his boys at a bar. Rocco, in the film, not real life (although it wouldn't be a surprise) is a package boy for the Italian mob in Boston, and has earned the title of the 'Funny Man' with the other mobsters. Rocco's constant mood shifting and relentlessly tacky jokes (like the Coke joke) make you understand why this film was such an overnight success.
It seems that every actor and actress in this film was perfectly picked out of the crowd, filling their roles seamlessly. From Brian Connolly playing a jailed hit man, to even legendary porn star Ron Jeremy, who plays the right-hand man to the Italian mob boss.
The Boondock Saints is more than just a funny action film; it is a fantastic crime film, that will go down in history...if not already.
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