The Butcher Boy

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joe s Cynical attempt to bring humor to an all too familiar tragic tale of a young boy who suffers physical, emotional & psychological trauma. Acting is excellent but you cannot make murder funny. I also did not like the farcical portrayal of EVERYONE who practiced the Catholic faith, as if they were all terribly superstitious. Sinead O,Connor as the Blessed Virgin saying “For Fu__’s sake!” Should have ignited the film the first time it played in theatres Rated 2/5 Stars •  Rated 2 out of 5 stars 01/23/25 Full Review Kevin M Very sad movie with whatever the boy went through in his life. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 09/13/23 Full Review S R 1001 movies to see before you die. A bizarre Irish film showing the culture there in a way that was blasphemous, black and funny at the same time. It crossed a few lines for me though and hence its rating, but it still kept my interest. It could have been much cleaner and been more approachable. It was on youtube. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 05/14/23 Full Review Thomas M The best acting performance from Eamonn Owens! Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 11/25/22 Full Review Dave S One of director Neil Jordan's lesser-known films, The Butcher Boy follows the exploits of Francie Brady (Eamonn Owens), the product of an alcoholic father and mentally ill mother, who makes his way through life in a small working-class Irish village by means of violence and intimidation, a sociopath in the making. It is a bleak and harrowing existence, but the film is infused with an odd energy thanks to the performance of Owens, as well as Jordan's direction, who allows the camera to roam about in a manner consistent with the movie's 12-year-old protagonist…or would that be antagonist? What makes The Butcher Boy so compelling is the fact that while you have hope for Francie's future, it seems inevitable that things will turn out poorly for him. Despite this, the atrocities at the end of the film still come as an unwelcomed shock. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 05/21/25 Full Review Audience Member I last saw this movie in the late 90's. It messed me up in my late twenties, but left such an impression on me that I still remember it. It was a glimpse into the madness of a troubled little boy, and how he came to be. At the time, it reminded me a lot of Pink Floyd's The Wall in terms of uncomfortable viewing it gave me. But clearly it left its mark, if I can still review it in 2022 and make out all of its parts. That's the mark of a good movie. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/13/23 Full Review Read all reviews

The Butcher Boy

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