The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys is a 2002 dramedy starring Emile Hirsch, Kieran Culkin, Jena Malone, and Jodie Foster. It is directed by Peter Care, and adapted from a book by Chris Fuhrman.
In The '70s, a group of comic-loving Catholic schoolboys rebel against their strict school by creating an obscene comic book starring superhero versions of themselves. Incensed after the strict Sister Assumpta confiscates the comic book, the boys plan an epic heist to get their revenge. Along the way, one of the boys, Francis Doyle, falls in love with a girl in his class with dark secrets.
Tropes featured in The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys include:
- Brother–Sister Incest: Margie was molested by her older brother Donny.
- Downer Ending: The attempt to kidnap the mountain lion goes horribly wrong, resulting in Tim's death.
- Growing Muscles Sequence: Tim turning into The Muscle in the imagine spots.
- Imagine Spot: The film is interspersed with fantasy sequences featuring the boys (and later Margie) as superheroes.
- It Will Never Catch On: The boys are incredulous that Ghost Rider will ever catch on, noting that his powers and backstory are unusually complicated and his design is basically a skeleton in a biker costume.
