The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys (2002) on Netflix
Francis Doyle and his friends fill their Catholic school days with pranks and draw a comic book mocking their teacher, Sister Assumpta. Caught with the notebook, they plan a heist.
- Netflix3.4/5
- IMDb6.9/1014,741 votes
- Rotten Tomatoes77%
Trailer
Plot summary
In the 1970s, Francis Doyle, Tim Sullivan, Wade Scalisi and Joey Anderson attend St. Agatha's, a Catholic school they dislike. They smoke pot, drink, listen to hard rock and play pranks on their teachers, among them stealing the school's statue of St. Agatha for their clubhouse. Much of their time goes into a comic book of their own, The Atomic Trinity, in which each boy has a superhero alter ego: Brakken for Francis, The Muscle for Tim, Captain Asskicker for Wade and Major Screw for Joey. Their peglegged teacher, Sister Assumpta, becomes the villain Nunzilla in those pages. A love note that Tim wrote but signed with Francis's name brings Margie Flynn into the group, and Francis takes an interest in her.
Cast
- Tyler Longas Joey Anderson
Did you know?!Facts and trivia about The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys (2002)
Can contain spoilers, watch the movie first.
- Chris Fuhrman died of cancer before completing the final revision of his novel; the film is dedicated to his memory.
- Jodie Foster was a producer on the film and had not planned to also play the stern Catholic headmistress Sister Assumpta; she called producing partner Meg LeFauve to request the part.
- Emile Hirsch was the first actor the filmmakers had in mind for the lead role of Francis Doyle, because he had the "innocence and naivete" they were looking for.
- The film's animated sequences were created by Todd McFarlane and look like basic superhero comic strips; producer Jay Shapiro said animation "seemed like a natural way to go in and out of this interior world".
