The Boondock Saints - 1999

Franchise Films, Brood Syndicate, Fried Films

Written and Directed by Troy Duffy

Cast:

• FBI Agent Paul Smecker – Willem Dafoe
• Connor MacManus – Sean Patrick Flanery
• Murphy MacManus – Norman Reedus
• Detective Greenly – Bob Marley
• Detective Duffy – Brian Mahoney
• Detective Dolly – David Ferry
• Rocco – David Della Rocco
• Il Duce – Billy Connolly

Story: Two Irish Catholic fraternal twin brothers in Boston accidentally kill some Russian mobsters during a bar fight. They turn themselves in, walking into the police station in their hospital gowns and robes as soon as the owner of the bar lets them know the police are looking for them. Because these were Russian mobsters, the FBI is involved and has sent Agent Paul Smecker in to see what they were doing here it the first place. Smecker releases the brothers after hearing the killings were in self-defense. But the MacManus boys are not done yet. Bodies begin to pile up as the Russian mobsters are killed, then the Italians become the target. Smecker begins to suspect the boys, but since they are eliminating the bad guys, he becomes conflicted and wonders if he should arrest them or help them.

Review: Next to Johnny Depp, no one is known for the oddball roles better than Willem Dafoe, and this one is no exception. Smecker is a great detective, although his methods are a bit strange. When we first see him he is well-dressed in a 4 button suit and flowing hair. He examines the crime scene wearing latex gloves he retrieves from a pouch on his belt after inserting the earplugs to his Walkman CD so he can listen to opera while he carefully surveys the evidence. Sean Patrick Flanery and Norman Reedus are excellent as a couple of meat packers who play jokes on one another and their co-workers, are well liked and respected, and obviously frugal Catholic boys who work and play hard. They live in a loft in a commercial building in the Irish neighborhood where they live a Spartan life, mattresses on the floor and not a television in sight. The characters merge seamlessly to form a very basic and primitive plot, one that gets under your skin, but there are some moments when you have to wonder what exactly is going on. Not a film for the little ones, or anyone who has a weak stomach when it comes to blood, especially if you rent the Unrated Version. Unless you are into extreme violence for the sake of violence, not a collectible, but worth seeing if you are a fan of vigilante justice.