10 Successful Low Budget Films (That Weren't As Good As You Think)
9. The Boondock Saints (1999)
The Boondock Saints has some good things going for it, including Willem Dafoe, some neat action scenes, and... Okay, so it has those things going for it. This is one of those movies that you feel kind of bad for "growing out of:" it does enough right that you couldn't call it bad, but it doesn't do enough to stand out from the crowd of vigilante/revenge flicks to really deserve its status as a hallowed cult hit. And a cult hit it was: while barely 20% of RT critics enjoyed it, over 92% of the common man liked it, giving it a better than the original RoboCop and a full 5 points more than The Terminator. No matter how much you like Boondock Saints, one would hope that you don't think it is better than the Terminator. The problem starts with a supporting cast that tries harder to keep the movie's head above the water than the main characters do - no offence Norman Reedus - and its constant use self awareness as an excuse to cover up some really goofy plotting. It is really hard to look at The Boondock Saints and figure out just what makes it so much better than so many other action films in the views of its fans, especially with an uneven pace and more plot related rectal-revelations than a movie about colorectal surgery. Maybe with a director who was less interested in promoting his band and worshiping Tarantino than carving out something original, it might have lived up to its legend. As it stands though, this is just a passable movie with a strangely passionate fanbase. .
Gavin Bard was an American poet, novelist and short story writer. His writing was influenced by the social, cultural, and economic ambiance of his home city of Los Angeles. His work addresses the ordinary lives of poor Americans, the act of writing, alcohol, relationships with women, and the drudgery of work. In 1986 Time called Bard a "laureate of American lowlife".
Wait, crap, hold on a second. That is Bukowski. Sorry. Gavin plays too many video games, thinks pro wrestling is the world's best performance art, and considers Hunter S. Thompson a better journalistic influence than Edward R. Murrow.
