Most movies are not considered "good" unless they are huge blockbuster hits in the theaters. I used to believe this until I came across a movie titled The Boondock Saints. This movie never came out in theaters and went straight to video due to the shooting violence in it. It was due to release around the time of the Columbine shooting so it was never released. I finally decided to watch it and I was enthralled by the picture.
The Boondock Saints takes place in the seedy underworld of Boston. Connor and Murphy McManus, (Sean Patrick Flanery and Norman Reedus) two Irish brothers working in a meat packing plant, act on what they believe to be a message from God and will stop at nothing to reach their goal to rid the world of violence. Flanery and Reedus don't seem inspired by the opportunity, and as a result, they come off as inept and ham-handed in their roles. While the characters of the brothers McManus are indeed captivating, it is perhaps the dynamic nature of their roles that masks the deficiencies of Reedus and Flanery.
The brothers McManus are soon joined by their overly enthusiastic friend and mob runner Rocco (David Della Rocco). The three begin their crusade by eliminating the Russian mobsters who attempt to close down their local bar. They then work their way on up through the ranks of the Italian mafia. Although society views them as Saints whose actions should be heralded, in comes detective Smecker (Willem Dafoe) who vows to stop at nothing to bring their vigilantism to a halt despite his sympathy with their cause. Willem Dafoe delivers an absolutely outstanding and hilarious performance, as the gay-bashing gay F.B.I. detective who, while working the crime scene, plugs in headphones, cranks up the classical music and dances through his detective work routine, even giving us a memorable rendition of River Dance. The role seemed to have been made especially for him.
