Flak Magazine: Review of The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys, 7-8-02

The fuzzy distinction between fact and fiction, though often attributed to our modern, media-filled lives, has always influenced youth. When we're very young, often those things that feel that most real are the least — the bogeyman, invisible friends, puppets teaching us the alphabet. As part of our intellectual development, we learn the difference between reality and story. But pure belief never loses its emotional punch. There's always an echo, some part of us that refuses to distinguish between what we feel and what we know. Daydreams and fantasies remain a powerful force, one that helps us to navigate real life. This force is at the heart of The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys, adapted by the book by the late Chris Fuhrman.

Tim and Francis, two rebellious 1970s Catholic-school teens, seek escape from their repressive lives under the scrutiny of their cruel, one-legged teacher, Sister Assumpta. Tim creates elaborate plans for Francis and their friends to evade reality: They sneak their fathers' beer and Playboys, read William Blake and draw a puberty-fueled comic book called "The Atomic Trinity."

The excitement of not getting caught is enough until Tim helps Francis get the girl of his dreams, Margie Flynn. Soon, playtime seems foolish and dangerous, and when Margie tells Francis a dark, intense secret, he can't keep his head, let alone his friendship with Tim, together. Instead of going along, as always, with Tim's plans, Francis pulls further and further into his fantasies (animated in the film by Todd MacFarlane, of "Spawn" fame) about his comic book, now starring Margie as well. Meanwhile, the group's vandalism gets them into serious trouble, and they decide to get themselves in further over their heads in order to get out.

The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys is a story of escape from reality. Tim escapes a troubled family life by creating adventure. Margie escapes her past by seeking acceptance from Francis. Francis escapes all this by diving into his fantasies. Fantasy's a powerful tool, and just like all the aspects of coming-of-age, it's sometimes overwhelming. When Francis and Tim find an injured dog on the side of the road, Francis tells Tim to get real when he tries to help it. But here, Tim knows what's real better than anyone else: He knows no one will come to save that dog but him. He knows the reality of the situation well enough that he knows he has to fight it.

The story is well written and unromanticized. The dialogue rings true, an uncommon event in films about teens. The '70s setting is subtle and not played for satirical effect, similar to Donnie Darko's portrayal of the '80s. Kieran Culkin, as Tim, does an amazing job, holding back just enough to make his character seem real. Jena Malone does even better as Margie. She finds an intensity in her role that pushes outward against the rest of the cast and the audience. Jodie Foster and Vincent D'Onofrio stand back and let kids run the movie, something only confident adult actors could do.

However, while Altar Boys succeeds in its details and themes, it fails in the gravity of its major events. Not to give away Margie's secret or the end of the film, but they are both easily guessed. Neither tragedy carries much weight, if only because they've been seen before. It's unfortunate that these central events don't have greater emotional authenticity; had they been, the film could have been much more powerful. (See, for instance, the underexposed George Washington.)

The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys has its faults, but they can be accepted. When a film gets so much right, it can be forgiven for trying too hard to be a movie. Perhaps it, too, suffered from drifting too far into fantasy.

— Andy Ross (apross@earthlink.net)