The Butcher Boy

THE BUTCHER BOY (15)

D: Neil Jordan

Geffen (Redmond Morris & Stephen Woolley)

Ireland 🇮🇪 1997

106 mins

Drama/Comedy

W: Neil Jordan & Patrick McCabe [based on the novel by Patrick McCabe]

DP: Adrian Biddle

Ed: Tony Lawson

Mus: Elliott Goldenthal

PD: Anthony Pratt

Cos: Sandy Powell

Stephen Rea ('Da'), Fiona Shaw (Mrs. Nugent), Eamonn Owens (Francis Brady), Alan Boyle (Joe Purcell), Aisling O'Sullivan ('Ma'), Sinead O'Connor (The Virgin Mary), Andrew Fullerton (Philip), Patrick McCabe (Jimmy The Skite)

Eamonn Owens is absolutely fantastic as Francis Brady in this darkly comic drama based on the novel by Patrick McCabe about a rebellious boy growing up in 1960's Ireland. Son of an alcoholic father and a mother who makes frequent trips to the funny farm, young Francis gets up to all the usual mischief a boy of his age gets up to, with a tendency to go one step too far with his pranks and shenanigans. One of his cruel tricks sees him taken into psychiatric care where he descends even further into mania.

It's a brilliantly captivating performance from the young lad and Neil Jordan's meticulous direction captures the period perfectly.

8/10