THE DANGEROUS LIFE OF ALTAR BOYS

US, 2001, 105 minutes, Colour.
Emile Hirsch, Kieran Culkin, Vincent D' Onofrio, Jena Malone, Jake Richardson, Tyler Long, Jodie Foster.
Directed by Peter Care.

The Dangerous Life of Altar Boys is a bizarre but interesting film. It is based on a novel by Chris Furhman who died at the age of thirty-one and to whom the film is dedicated. The director is Peter Care, a director from television. It was produced by Jodie Foster’s company.

While the film’s title indicates a Catholic background, and this is to the fore in the visits to the church, the character of Sister Assumpta the teacher, the character of Father Casey the parish priest and sports coach in the school, the film shows the superficiality of so much of Catholic adherence to the church. It is more of an ideology, part of education rather than a religious experience.

The experience of this film is of two fourteen-year-olds, a sense of alienation from their families, an antagonism towards the severe sister who teaches them, a friendship with the priest who is the coach, their usual puberty problems of identity, relationships, friendship, sexuality. It manifests itself in some excessive behaviour but also in the drawing of a comic strip with themselves with the much larger-than-life heroes and the nun as the villain.

The drawings come alive in distinctive animation in the film. The animation is interspersed throughout the action, making an ironic comment on the attitudes of the young boys as well as the incidents in which they become involved as well as their judgment on Sister and Father Casey. The animation is impressive and striking – in the tradition of the Marvel comics.

The performances are very good. Emile Hirsch was at the beginning of his career and was to follow this film with The Emperor’s Club, Alpha Dog and Kieran Culkin had made an impression in such films as The Cider House Rules and was nominated for many awards after this for Igby Goes Down. Jena Malone had also received acclaim for a number of films including Bastard Out of Carolina. Vincent D' Onofrio does a good turn as the more sympathetic priest with the touch of severity (and too much smoking) and Jodie Foster gives an interesting if eccentric performance as Sister Assumpta.

The film is interesting in its presentation of rites of passage, the confusion in the minds and imaginations of fourteen-year-olds, the hard lives in dysfunctional families, secrets of sexuality and sex abuse – with a tragic ending, the consequences of irresponsible behaviour and adolescents not being listened to by adults.

1.The film as a memoir, of adolescence, of puberty and change, of adolescent perspective on the world, confusion about identity, moral issues?

2.The importance of the animation and its style? Showing the inside of the boys’ imaginations and emotions? Expressing what was difficult to express in aggression, vengeance? The big characters, bold, direct colours? Inflated? Action, characters? Heroes and villains? Captain Kick- Ass, the Skeleton, the girl to be rescued and her strength, the villains – and the nuns on the motorbikes? The insertion of this animation at various points in the film, illustrating character, commenting on action?

3.The focus on the boys, the focus on Margie? A small period of their lives? The background of their parents – generally absent? The importance of Sister Assumpta as the teacher? Father Casey as the coach but also available for comment? Responsibility and irresponsibility?

4.The title, Francis and Tim, serving at mass, the distractions, the passing of the note, Margie Flynn? With Father Casey, the chatter in the sacristy? The recurring serving every Sunday? Not being a religious experience? Yet the reality of the church, Francis able to ask Father Casey about the nature of sin? The role of the nuns in their education?

5.Francis and Tim, their age, family, the Sullivans’ break-up, Francis being outside and watching the fights? His own family – warm, but his distance from them? The two of them by themselves, their friendship? Talk, sex, Margie? The passing of the note, the poem, Blake? The triangle exercise and the cutting down of the telegraph pole? Its landing with precision? Francis calling out ‘Margie’ as it fell? The issue of the panther, in the zoo, the plan? The lowering down of the statue of St Agatha, their lives, secrets? Francis confiding in Tim, Tim blurting out the secret and the consequence for their fight? The final plan – leading to Tim’s death? Francis and his reading Blake’s poem at the funeral?

6.William Blake, the poetry, the symbolism of the tiger, the marriage of Heaven and Hell?

7.Francis, his age, personality, his family, love for Margie, the letter, the poem, the triangle exercise? In class? Francis and his being sent off to the bench, talking with Margie, arranging to meet, their being together, talking, the kiss, Margie confiding in him, his reaction? His having to tell Tim? Going to the zoo, the panther? Altar-serving? Talking with Father Casey about the nature of sin? Tim revealing the truth, the fight with Tim? Interrogated about St Agatha’s statue? His recounting St Agatha’s life? The plan to get the panther, not realising there were two? Their skills, Tim building the cage and Francis knocking it down? The better plan? Tim’s death? The discussion with Sister Assumpta, the drawings, her reaction? Reading Blake in the church? The nature of the animation, his being Captain Kick- Ass – and the comic’s comment on his experience?

8.Tim, friend, the background of his family and their squabbles? Sister praying for this in class? His sardonic reactions? Axing the telegraph pole? The plan for the panther, building the cage? The poem, the letter? The friendship with Francis, their talking, his awkwardness with girls, wanting to hear details from Francis? In the sacristy? The sport, the goals? The fight with Donny, blurting out the truth? The fight with Francis? His self-confidence, going into the cage with the panther, his death?

9.Wade and his friend, the books, the drawings? Talking about kissing Margie? The panther and their fears?

10.Margie, her age, the background of her story? Her relationship with Donny, the sexual encounters, her explanations? Her later saying that it was her fault and instigation? Her low self-image, attempted suicide? Meeting with Francis, talking with him, in the room, the kisses, how far to go? Margie and the panther incident? In church? A future friendship with Francis – forgiveness, rehabilitating her self-image?

11.Sister Assumpta, her leg, the nickname, her prayer in class, her lessons? Tough? Her private prayer, discussions with Father Casey? The comics, her reaction? Father Casey, his personality, the sport, the training, Francis able to approach him? Finding himself in the comic? The issue of St Agatha’s statue and its disappearance? The interrogation of the boys? Sister Assumpta finally coming to Francis before the ceremony? Father Casey at the funeral?

12.How realistic this world? Heightened? A perceptive look at adolescent boys? Adolescent girls? A world that is not black and white but grey and confusing?