IMDb > The Butcher Boy (1997)
The Butcher Boy
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotes
Overview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv schedule
Awards & Reviews
user commentsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsmessage board
Plot & Quotes
plot summarysynopsisplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotes
Fun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQ
Other Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsNewsDesk
Promotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo gallery
External Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clips

The Butcher Boy (1997) More at IMDbPro »

Photos (see all 10 | slideshow) Videos
The Butcher Boy (1997) -- US Home Video Trailer from Warner Bros.

IMDb Holiday Movie Guide

Overview

User Rating:
7.1/10   4,573 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 18% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers:
Pat McCabe (novel)
Neil Jordan (screenplay) ...
more
Contact:
View company contact information for The Butcher Boy on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
20 February 1998 (UK) more
Genre:
Tagline:
This little piggy laughed all the way home!
Plot:
The film tells the story of Francie who lives with his depressed mother and alcoholic father. He loves... more | add synopsis
Awards:
7 wins & 8 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(8 articles)
Jordan & McCabe at Ranelagh Arts Fest
 (From IFTN. 7 September 2009, 7:26 AM, PDT)

Lebowski Meets Truman: Rewinding 1998
 (From Cinematical. 19 August 2009, 7:02 PM, PDT)

User Comments:
An extremely Powerful, well acted and brilliantly written film. more (58 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Eamonn Owens ... Francie Brady
Sean McGinley ... Sergeant
Peter Gowen ... Leddy
Alan Boyle ... Joe Purcell
Andrew Fullerton ... Phillip Nugent
Fiona Shaw ... Mrs. Nugent
Aisling O'Sullivan ... Ma Brady

Stephen Rea ... Da Brady
John Kavanagh ... Dr. Boyd
Rosaleen Linehan ... Mrs. Canning
Anita Reeves ... Mrs. Coyle
Gina Moxley ... Mary
Niall Buggy ... Father Dom
Ian Hart ... Uncle Alo
Anne O'Neill ... Mrs. McGlone
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Runtime:
110 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:

Fun Stuff

Quotes:
Francie Brady: [to Jimmy the Skite] Feck off, you round tub of Guinness! more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in The Book That Wrote Itself (1999) more
Soundtrack:
MICHAEL ROW THE BOAT ASHORE more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
13 out of 18 people found the following comment useful.
An extremely Powerful, well acted and brilliantly written film., 6 March 1999
Author: Stu-5 from Western Australia

Neil Jordan, famed for such hits as Michael Collins and The Crying Game, returns to a much more conventional style of filmmaking. This time he leaves out the stars: no Liam Neeson, no Aidan Quinn, no Julia Roberts. This time it's cinema verite: a sotto-voce cast (barring Stephen Rea) which takes the mind off the actors and onto the film.

Which is good, because the film is a ripsnorter. It's a powerful expose on how children can turn out horribly wrong through a tough childhood. There is no fancy cinematography or cutesy-pie moments; no Hollywood endings or Schwarzenegger stick-ups. This is pure black comedy which relies on a fabulous script.

It revolves around the life of Francie Brady, a young Irish boy who gets up to all sorts of mischief. Him and his friend, Joe, are the local troublemakers in Dublin. But, there's more to Francie than one would think. His is a soul which is black at the core, and the passing of prominent figures in his life, as well as time spent in and out of juvenile detention centres, plus the dirty priests which govern the schools, sends the boy over the edge.

He paints a picture of hyperbole. Francie always seems happy, energetic and ready for action, yet boiling up inside of him are bloody demons and unimaginable violence. It's that hyperbole which creates so much tension in the movie, just wondering what he'll do and when he'll do it.

The film is narrated by an older Francie, one who has spent his life in a prison for the mentally insane. His narration is humorous and ironic, yet occasionally it derives some of the power from the movie because of its light-hearted, schmultzy comments. Francie sometimes talks to his older self, making one remember "Ferris Beuler's Day Off", but apart from that, the film is fantastic.

It lags in parts. Occasional scenes are drawn out and lengthy, and you just want to scream out, "pick up the damn butcher's knife and kill someone!" To make the film increase in pace. But that's not a major problem, that might just be my attention span, if you didn't have those scenes you wouldn't have such a poignant movie.

The Butcher Boy has a very satisfactory denouement. We all took our childhood for granted. It had its ups, it had its downs. This is a film which portrays what sort of childhood arises from continuous downs, dominated by misery and loss, and how much of an effect it can have on such an impressionable mind. This is a wonderful, black, violent, dramatic and hilarious movie. A rare offering, indeed.

Nine out of ten.

Was the above comment useful to you?
more (58 total)

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for The Butcher Boy (1997)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
american psycho comparison ***spoiler*** sethdickson
something i missed near the end fabers3
Butcher Boy Swede kevdcoffey
Eamon Owens performance is just breath taking Marsha_CutiePie
Oz connection (spoilers) birthdaynoodle
Well made but missed the mark... hannahp1
more

Recommendations

If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
- - - - -
Magic The Stunt Man Disturbia One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest The Night of the Hunter
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
Show more recommendations

Related Links

Full cast and crew Company credits External reviews
News articles IMDb Comedy section IMDb Ireland section
Add this title to MyMovies

You may report errors and omissions on this page to the IMDb database managers. They will be examined and if approved will be included in a future update. Clicking the 'Update' button will take you through a step-by-step process.