This little piggy laughed all the way home!
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.
The Butcher Boy (1998) is a comedy and drama film directed by Neil Jordan, released on February 20, 1998 with a runtime of 1h 50m. It stars Eamonn Owens, Alan Boyle, Fiona Shaw and Stephen Rea. Viewers rate it 6.8 out of 10 across 129 ratings.
Watch the official trailer for The Butcher Boy before you stream it.
Eamonn Owens
as Francie Brady
Alan Boyle
as Joe Purcell
Fiona Shaw
as Mrs. Nugent
Stephen Rea
as Da Brady
Ian Hart
as Uncle Arlo
Peter Gowen
as Leddy
Sean McGinley
as Sergeant
Aisling O'Sullivan
as Ma Brady
John Kavanagh
as Dr. Boyd
Andrew Fullerton
as Phillip Nugent
Rosaleen Linehan
as Mrs. Canning
Anita Reeves
as Mrs. Coyle
Directed by Neil Jordan, written by Neil Jordan, Pat McCabe and Pat McCabe, produced by Redmond Morris and Stephen Woolley.
Average viewer score of 6.8/10 from 129 ratings.
A darkly comic and disturbing look at childhood gone wrong in 1960s Ireland. Between Francie Brady’s wild imagination, religious satire, and Sinead O’Connor as a vision of the Virgin Mary, it’s one of the most unique coming-of-age films I’ve ever seen. Funny, tragic, and haunting all at once! The film is a strange one, centering on a sweet and lovely kid who becomes a victim of ostracism.
Reviewed on November 4, 2025
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The Butcher Boy (1998) is currently available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube and Fandango At Home. No subscription streaming option is listed right now, so availability may change.
The main cast of The Butcher Boy (1998) includes Eamonn Owens, Alan Boyle, Fiona Shaw, Stephen Rea and Ian Hart. The film was directed by Neil Jordan. You can see the full cast and crew list, with character names, further up this page.
The Butcher Boy was released on February 20, 1998 and runs for 1h 50m.
The Butcher Boy (1998) holds an average rating of 6.8 out of 10 from 129 viewer votes, and is a good pick if you enjoy comedy and drama films. Read the viewer reviews on this page to decide for yourself.
Yes. The official The Butcher Boy trailer is embedded in the trailer section of this page and plays instantly, no download or sign-up required.
