The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys
A film review by Taryn A. Harris

        The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys is a great little movie that isn't your typical Hollywood teen-centric flick.

Sure, the teens are bored, awkward and rebellious, but they're also intelligent, likeable and compassionate.

    The movie is an adaptation of the late Chris Furhman's coming of age novel and stars Emile Hirsch, Kieran Culkin, Jena Malone, the fabulously understated Jodie Foster (also a co-producer) and Vincent D'Onofrio.

      The themes of childhood innocence, religion (specifically Catholicism) and struggling with adult-sized demons are similar to Stephen King's Stand By Me, but the comparison ends there.

In the animated sequences (by Todd McFarlane), which served as a commentary on the events of the boys' lives are exceptional.  Jodie Foster's character Sister Assumpta becomes Nunzilla, the arch-nemesis of the Atomic Trilogy, as each of the boys (there are actually four of them) transforms into a superhero.   

Jodi Foster and Vincent D'Onofrio give wonderful performances as two people on opposite ends of their religious devotion.  The former is extremely devout and the latter likes his comfy life (he's a chain-smoking parish priest who coaches soccer).

I really enjoyed this movie. It's smart, it's funny and I cared about the characters.