Talking About ‘The Boondock Saints’ With Director Troy Duffy
Posted November 9, 2009 1:19 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Troy Duffy made a splash in 1999 when his script for The Boondock Saints was picked up by Miramax and he was hired to direct it. It was a big rags-to-riches story of a guy from the street (he was working as a bartender in L.A. at the time) making it in Hollywood. People ate it up.
When The Boondock Saints was released it became a cult hit. The story of two Irish vigilante brothers from Boston cleaning up bad guys in a Tarantino-esque manner caught on with college kids and action fans alike. But in the process Duffy was personally destroyed and his would-be filmmaking career was squashed. Miramax pulled the plug on production when it went over budget, the documentary Overnight exposed him of being a hot-head and losing control on the set and lawsuits were filed (against him and by him). It was a nightmare.
Ten years later and all that’s in the past. Duffy, along with original cast members Sean Patrick Flanery and Norman Reedus are back with The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day. It’s bigger, louder and won’t disappoint the many followers of the first. So why did it take so long to get made? I spoke with Duffy about that and if there will be a third film in the series. We also chatted about how he likes shooting in Toronto (where both films were made) and his views on movie piracy. He gave honest answers and was a genuine, nice guy — not the monster he’s made out to be. Check out the full interview below.
The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day opens in Toronto on Friday, November 13.
brian.mckechnie@citynews.rogers.com
Top image: A scene from The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day. Courtesy Maple Pictures.
