Heaven Help Us (1985)

It's Brooklyn 1965 and young Michael Dunn (Andrew McCarthy) finds himself forced to attend St. Basil's in pursuit of the priesthood. Once there against his better judgment he gets caught up with a wild crowd led by the raucous Rooney (Kevin Dillon) and together they work towards higher education - the kind you don't get at school! From hiding out in the local diner to making out in Rooney's dad's car from the "good-when-they're-bad" girls of the convent school to the shy beauty Michael falls for (Mary Stuart Masterson) from a confession that's good for the soul to what sends you there in the first place finding your way in the world isn't easy. But the boys of St. Basil's are out to have the time of their lives - for as long as they're young as long as they're fee and as long as they can get away with it.Running Time: 105 min.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: COMEDY UPC: 026359298622 Product Description

could not watch the DVD

AS I could not watch Blonde, I thought that I would not be able to watch the other American DVD. I am going to try to adapt my machine to American DVDs. August 8, 2008

Non-Catholic Point of View

This movie remains one of my favorites. I am not Catholic so I have no way to reference anything to do with the faith or can't really relate to what it is like going to a Catholic school. I do remember, however, what it was like to be a teenager and what it was like to be a little rebellious. I think this movie does a good job capturing the sprit of youth. It has some funny moments. It has some serious moments. It has a good story. June 3, 2008

Forgotten Gem...

Great coming of age movie set in a Catholic school in Brooklyn during the 60s. Know as `Catholic Boys' in the UK, I first watched this film on TV after initially never heard of it before.

Even though the film is set in a Catholic school during the sixties, most people will relate to some of the characters in the film. It definitely reminded me of my time in school in England. You have Rooney (Kevin Dillon) as the bully, Brother Timothy (John Heard) as the teacher who can relate to the pupils during their strict upbringing, Brother Constance (Jay Patterson) as the teacher who rules by an iron fist. Also there is Donald Sutherland as the head teacher, Brother Thadeus, whom you would initially expect to be the nastiest of the monks, but in the end he is a nice guy, despite a slightly nutty, eccentric exterior.

The film is really funny and really moving at times, the humour is perfectly balanced so it doesn't lighten the darker moments, such as the corporate punishment scenes.

Heaven Help Us seems a forgotten movie, however itit has future stars laden in the cast, such as Patrick Dempsey and Yeardley Smith, who went on to do Lisa Simpson's voice. I think the film belongs to Kevin Dillon, as the hopeless Rooney. It is a shame that he hasn't been in more films like his brother has.

A really touching and funny movie, forgotten maybe, but worth checking out if you have never seen it.

I couldn't find this to buy in the uk so I had to purchase the region 1 version so if you buy this version outside the USA or Canada make sure you have a multi-region DVD player.

5 stars.
March 9, 2008

heaven help us

Despite good reviews from every film critic I read, this movie doesn't get talked about much; it reminds me of a Catholic school version of American Graffiti, and I can easily relate to the situations and characters in this movie, having gone to a private school in my youth. March 9, 2008

Great comedy.

This was a Christmas gift as well, but I have seen this movie before, many times. Great movie and worth every penny. When I first saw this movie back in the early nineties I couldn't believe that Donald Sutherland starred in this film, as the Head Master of the Catholic school. A must have for cult-classic watchers. February 5, 2008

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