The Butcher Boy

The Butcher Boy

This little piggy laughed all the way home!

1998110 min6.8 / 10

A darkly comic descent into madness that uses childhood friendship and surreal fantasy as a counterweight to familial trauma and mental illness.

Francie and Joe live the usual playful, fantasy filled childhoods of normal boys. However, with a violent, alcoholic father and a manic depressive, suicidal mother the pressure on Francie to grow up are immense. When Francie's world turns to madness, he tries to counter it with further insanity, with dire consequences.

Essence

Ensemble

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