Overnight

Troy Duffy sells his The Boondock Saints script to Harvey Weinstein for $300,000. He is immediately taken on by the William Morris Agency, and Weinstein agrees to let him direct the film with a $15 million budget. Miramax also commits to The Brood's soundtrack with Maverick Records and to buying J. Sloan's bar, which Weinstein asks Duffy to run.

Duffy asks Tony Montana and Mark Brian Smith to manage The Brood and to document his activities on film. They prepare to showcase the band’s progress as the Hollywood deal unfolds. This marks the beginning of parallel music and film ventures.

Duffy begins to enjoy the trappings of success, entertaining celebrities at his bar and dining in hotels. He moves into a production office and starts teleconferences with major producers. The aura of momentum masks the growing tensions behind the scenes.

Duffy is filmed insulting actors being considered for the film, including Ethan Hawke and Keanu Reeves, and repeatedly mispronounces Kenneth Branagh’s name before derisively calling him 'cunt.' He also disparages producers like Jerry Bruckheimer. This inflammatory behavior sours relationships and foreshadows the project’s slow progress.

As production stalls, Duffy threatens to abandon William Morris for a rival agency and alienates Weinstein and his own team. Rumors circulate that Weinstein has informally blacklisted him. Miramax ultimately puts the film in turnaround, and Duffy finds himself cut off from conference calls and with few industry contacts left.

Famed guitarist Jeff 'Skunk' Baxter shows interest in producing The Brood, highlighting lead vocalist Taylor Duffy, and pressure builds as recording sessions begin. Duffy tries to take control and ignores Baxter’s guidance, including concerns about heavy alcohol consumption in the band. Maverick Records drops the group after ongoing clashes.

After Maverick drops them, The Brood signs with Atlantic Records and rename themselves The Boondock Saints. The debut CD sells only 690 copies, reflecting a disappointing commercial response. The band is dropped by Atlantic and eventually disbands.

In 1998, Franchise Pictures finally provides financing for The Boondock Saints, though the budget is substantially smaller than Miramax’s initial offer. The reduced budget keeps production moving forward, but with limited financial flexibility. The project still struggles to attract major backers.

The film is promoted at the 1999 Cannes Film Festival, but not a single major American distributor picks it up. A limited five-city theatrical release follows, but box office returns are weak and distribution is halted after a short run. DVD and VHS release later revive interest.

On the night of the Palm Springs International Film Festival screening, a car jumps the curb and collides with Duffy and producer Chris Brinker; neither is seriously injured, and the driver remains unidentified. The incident becomes tabloid fodder but adds to the film’s troubled exhibition history. The event underscores the precarious path of the film’s release.

Despite weak theatrical performance, The Boondock Saints becomes a sleeper hit on home video, drawing audiences long after its limited release. The enduring popularity elevates the film’s reputation far beyond its initial theatrical reception. This later success contrasts sharply with the financial and professional setbacks Duffy faced earlier.

Duffy’s contract with Franchise Pictures bars profit from television, home media, and foreign sales, limiting his earnings from the film. He ultimately spends all the money earned from his film and record deals, leading to the closure of his bar. Within six years after production, he has not secured any work in Hollywood.