‘The Boondock Saints’ Was Sabotaged Before a Single Scene Was Filmed

by

In the mid-1990s, Troy Duffy, a bartender and bouncer in Los Angeles, started working on a film called The Boondock Saints, inspired by his everyday life. Several studios wanted to make the movie, and Duffy was quickly compared to director Quentin Tarantino. The film eventually starred Willem Dafoe, Sean Patrick Flanery, Norman Reedus, and Billy Connolly. Miramax purchased the script, but Duffy’s newfound attention soon led to problems.

Malcolm Duffy looked up to Quentin Tarantino, who had just achieved success at Cannes. Both had backgrounds as bouncers and video store workers in Los Angeles, but their careers took very different paths. By 2000, Tarantino was free to pursue any project he wanted, while Duffy found himself largely unknown after his film failed badly. The atmosphere on set was tense, and as shown in the 2003 documentary Overnight, Willem Dafoe even told Duffy to stay quiet, fearing he would further jeopardize the movie—a sign of the difficulties that Duffy and his film trilogy would face for the next 25 years. Was Duffy’s story simply a lucky break gone wrong, or was it the result of an industry unwilling to support truly innovative filmmakers? The answer is likely a combination of both.

“Jesus, Movies Really Suck These Days.”


THINKFilm

Duffy began his challenging career with almost nothing – no computer, no typewriter, and few helpful connections, only a friend working in film. He didn’t rely on formal training or advantages, focusing instead on creating work he himself would enjoy. While he sometimes avoids discussing the influence of Quentin Tarantino, a book by Andrew Rausch, Generation Tarantino, reveals Duffy’s passion for the energetic, low-budget action films of the 70s and 80s – the same kind of movies Tarantino is known for loving.

I wanted to create a movie I’d actually enjoy watching. I felt like a lot of recent films just weren’t very good, so I decided to make something that was both intensely violent and darkly humorous, but also had a deeper message.

His screenplay was shared with producers through a connection, eventually reaching Harvey Weinstein at Miramax. This sparked a competitive bidding war, instantly making the writer well-known. Reports indicate Weinstein pressured Duffy into accepting a minimal offer, but Duffy managed to negotiate a favorable arrangement. He used his position as director to also secure a deal with a record label to create and record the film’s soundtrack himself.

Things quickly went downhill when the agreement with Miramax collapsed, taking a $15 million budget with it. The planned lead actor, Mark Wahlberg, backed out, followed by Patrick Swayze, and his record label withdrew their support. Despite these setbacks, he somehow finished the film and created a promotional album, releasing both three years later and featuring his own band, which he oddly described as having a wealth of creative ideas. While Tarantino won the top prize at Cannes, Duffy couldn’t find anyone to distribute his film at the festival – a clear sign that the challenges facing him and The Boondock Saints were too great to overcome.

How Many Tarantinos Do We Really Need?

During the late 1990s, film studios were actively searching for a director with a similar style to Quentin Tarantino. Over five years, Tarantino himself delivered three of his most acclaimed films: Jackie Brown, Pulp Fiction, and Reservoir Dogs. Director Mark Duffy was particularly influenced by Reservoir Dogs; he admitted in a 2024 ScreenRant interview that seeing a scene from the 1992 crime thriller inspired him to directly imitate Tarantino’s work. This explains why the label “the next Tarantino” became so common.

The comparison isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Interestingly, Paul Thomas Anderson was labeled this way first, as a review in the Las Vegas Sun points out, but he handled the pressure and built a successful career. Now, no one considers Anderson a copy of Tarantino, proving these labels are often just easy shortcuts created by the press. With Duffy, however, we never saw his potential realized – his career was cut short before he could truly begin. So, who is responsible for that?

A Rocky Road to Redemption


Hulu

Critics weren’t impressed with Duffy’s first film, calling it superficial and foolish. However, after it became available on DVD and cable, fans enjoyed its quirky and energetic style. Despite only playing in five theaters for a week in January – typically a bad month for releases – the film has gained a dedicated cult following. The sequel wasn’t as successful, but a third movie is reportedly being planned, though Norman Reedus says development is moving very slowly.

Troy Duffy’s career took a sharp downturn after he repeatedly criticized actors and accused his agents of working against him, making him difficult to work with. He claimed Harvey Weinstein blocked the Boondock Saints franchise. It’s unclear who bears the most responsibility for what happened. While Duffy’s creativity initially promised success, his poor interpersonal skills ultimately derailed his career. He’s only directed one other film – the sequel, The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day – and written only two movies in the 26 years since the original Boondock Saints had a limited release. The main takeaway is that staying humble and building good relationships is crucial. At least with Weinstein out of the picture, the third Boondock Saints film might finally happen.

Read More

2025-11-12 14:06