Overnight (2003) Online

You know when you get yourself into one of those uncomfortable situations where several people are yelling at each other and you're stuck in the middle feeling awkward? That is what watching this documentary felt like.

This is a documentary seven years in the making that focuses on an arrogant, naive and very stupid bartender named Troy Duffy. Back in 1997, he literally "overnight" became the latest "rags to riches" success story in Hollywood where his script "THE BOONDOCK SAINTS" was bought by Harvey Weinstein (of Miramax Pictures) and was given the green-light to direct his own feature and provide music from his band for the soundtrack. Harvey was also considering co-owning a bar in West Hollywood with him, and it seemed like everything that Troy had worked hard for his entire life was finally coming to fruition.

Well not really. He could have had it all, but like most stupid people, he wasn't satisfied with what he was given and he demanded more.

Unlike Terry Gilliam's almost-comical "LOST IN LA MANCHA" which was plagued with natural disasters, bad scheduling, bad production and bad luck, Troy Duffy played his own hand in sending his dream project into assured failure.

For Duffy, his biggest enemy was himself. Although this documentary tries to make out Harvey Weinstein as some sort of Hollywood tyrant (which apparently isn't that far from the truth), Duffy was the one who ultimately destroyed his own career and that of his fellow band-mates who were too intimidated to stand up to him and tell him that he was going all about it the wrong way.

First of all, Duffy's biggest problem is his attitude. It's BAD. He's one of those people who not only THINKS AND KNOWS that he is RIGHT, but certainly doesn't hold back any feelings when it comes to telling other people that they are wrong (even if they're not).

Watching Duffy mingle with D-list celebrities like Paul Rubens, Patrick Swayze, Jerry O'Connell and Mark Wahlberg was nothing more than deliciously amusing, showing both sides of the industry kissing serious ass.

Even for those who don't even know what this documentary is about, watching him destroy his dream and career is inevitable from the first few minutes when you get to explore his vulgar personality and character. He went into Hollywood with no idea and basically left barely any the wiser.

The people you feel most sorry for are his band-mates. Although they also had a part to play with the miserable launch of their so-called music career, watching Troy sink them as he tries to pull his imaginary strings in the music industry is a notch below humiliating, not to mention embarrassing.

The worst part was seeing him trade barbs with that slimy excuse of a man who headed the casting agency, watching them at the Cannes Film Festival revel in the value of the almighty dollar before getting any of their facts straight first.

When it said that their album had sold 690 copies in six months (yes you read correctly, 690), there were a few awkward laughs in the audience. I don't think anyone in the audience really knew what to make of Duffy's actions. I felt not only embarrassment for him, but also disgust. He has quite a mouth on him and is not afraid to use it. One scene in particular shows him mouthing off in front his mother (who doesn't seem to be the least bit phased by it), and another scene showing him screaming into the speaker-phone about accusations of being called a liar. Watching it will really make your skin crawl.

It's hard to say as to who the documentary was trying to prove who the bigger tyrant was - Duffy or Harvey Weinstein. After all, Harvey has the comfort and leisure of being that way as he is a self-made man. Duffy on the other hand isn't.

There is one bizarre scene in "OVERNIGHT" that seemed like it came out of nowhere. It involved the premiere of Duffy's movie at a tiny cinema and his 'attempted' hit-and-run with an automobile that occurred outside. It's almost as if they tried to imply that Harvey Weinstein had ordered a hit on him or something, which only made Duffy look even more stupid.

While the conclusion of the documentary shows that the only people who stood by him - his friends, the people he ended up alienating now working in construction or manual labor, you can't help but exit the screening with a bad taste in your mouth and ponder the idea as to whether he has learned anything from all of this.

There is no question as to whether Duffy has any talent - obviously he does as there seems to be a cult following to the movie "THE BOONDOCK SAINTS". However, whether he has learned anything from his experience in BOTH the music and film industry is doubtful. Time will tell with the release of his next project, a sequel to "THE BOONDOCK SAINTS".

My Rating - 9 out of 10

Troy Duffy is an idiot. Just watch Overnight. In it he bullies film executives, record producers, band members and friends. But even worse than this, he thinks he's some sort of genius. He thinks he's a great musician and filmmaker.

Validating Duffy's delusion is the fact that Miramax buys his script for The Boondock Saints. Thinking he's the next Tarantino, they give him $300,000 for the script, they hand him the reigns to direct the movie (with a $15m budget), they allow him to produce the soundtrack with his band, he gets to approve casting and is allowed final cut, and the final part of the deal is that Miramax will buy his bar (prior to getting into film, he's a bartender and bouncer). It's a great deal. It's an amazing deal. It's a deal that's out of this world. Only a moron could screw it up.

Well, Troy Duffy is that moron. Given this great deal, he proceeds to abuse and alienate everyone around him. So much so that a film that initially starts out as a loving document to his talents ends up being a character assassination.

One of the first things we hear from Duffy's lips is that friendship is the most important thing in the world to him. Therefore one could assume that, despite the rough edges, he's an honourable guy. Nothing could be further from the truth. In one ball-shriving scene he refuses to pay his friends who had operated for a long time as the managers of his band. He says they don't deserve any money. His friends then point out all the time they spent managing the band – all the effort they put into it. Duffy then changes his mind and says that they do deserve the money. But at the same time he says he's still not going to give it to them. This he says to people who are in financial problems because of him. People who have broken their back for him.

But this actually isn't the first record deal that the band receives. Earlier on Maverick Records sign them up sight unseen. But just when you're slapping your head at the stupidity of Madonna's label, Duffy messes up and annoys them. He then rants and raves and says the label is scared. He says they're scared of how good the brood are. What the hell? If Duffy is right then he's saying that the label are scared of making lots of money? Yeah, makes perfect sense.

But eventually the band get signed to Atlantic Records, which leads to the argument over money with the former band managers (who, incidentally, are the makers of this documentary). The moment when the band is signing their contract and receiving their money in cash is pathetic. They're like dogs begging for scraps.

But thankfully the album has a happy ending. They only sell 690 copies…after being in stores for six months.

And yet earlier in the film, when they're recording, Duffy wonders why his fellow band members haven't been coming up to him and shaking his hand for securing the deal. He even says that the album isn't a group effort. He says it's all down to him – without him, there's nothing. So surely that means that the album's failure is his and his alone? Maybe his fellow band members should line up and take turns punching him in the face.

But Duffy's film fares just as well as his album. It's dumped in five theatres for one week and makes $25,000. It's pathetic even for him.

However, I'm sure Duffy would have lots of explanations for this. You see, after getting a great deal with Miramax, he proceeds to alienate them to such an extent with his bitching and moaning that they pull out. Therefore the film is financed independently. Of course this doesn't concern Duffy, who says that when the film is made and Miramax want back in, they can pay their way back in. But when it comes to selling the film, nobody wants a part of it. Most of the time I'd be appalled that a filmmaker could be blacklisted and that the industry would conspire against him, but here it makes me happy. Duffy is man who was given a great chance to prove himself. All he had to do was shut his mouth and get on with things. Instead he acted like a child and tried to throw his weight around. Hell, at one point, before he's even shot a foot of film or recorded one note of his album, he says that he's gone straight from a bartender and surpassed everyone – he's already right at the top. Only an idiot could think that way – don't you have to have produced something first to be at the top? Therefore the film's awful distribution deal had me grinning like a loon.

I'm also kind of amused by the way the makers of the documentary try and screw Duffy over. In one scene we see Duffy bemoan his ability to find a decent girl – he just wants to find a nice girl he can settle down with. We then cut to some sleazy footage of a drunk Duffy getting girls to show him their breasts. The film never tries to be objective and is all the more entertaining for it.

Unfortunately, though, there is a black cloud that hangs over me. The Boondock Saints became a cult hit. There are many people who love it. But just when I feel low I remember that Duffy isn't a profit participant in the cable and DVD sales – he just got a lump sum of money. Therefore Duffy doesn't make a cent out of the film's success in the home market. How brilliant is that?

When his script for action thriller The Boondock Saints got picked up by Miramax, Troy Duffy found himself going very rapidly from an unknown barman in West Hollywood to being the hot new property in the movie business. Not only that but his agency manages to use this heat to wrangle Duffy money for the sale of his script, the permission to direct the film and a recording deal for his band to work on the soundtrack; it is the dream opportunity presented to Duffy, his family and friends and it is his to embrace or ruin.

Having not seen Boondock Saints for several years I have not been able to review it but I do recall that it was OK without being anything that special. What I didn't know at the time was the story behind the film, which is far more interesting than the film and serves as a good cautionary tale about the nature of fame and Hollywood politics. Well, I suppose it is actually more about Troy Duffy himself and is more a warning about how you have to play the game to get ahead. It is a fascinating and depressing tale because it shows Troy going from captain at the start, to immediately going below decks and scuppering his own ship. There is a quote at the end of the movie from Albert Goldman about how fame is a revealer rather than a creator and indeed that is true in this case. At the start Duffy is pretty full of himself and being made the centre of everything just makes this worse and he becomes more and more of an arrogant pr1ck who treats everyone around him like he is doing them a favour and they should be glad to be in his presence – and this applies from Weinstein himself right down to Troy's bandmates. And this is the focus of the film – one man's shocking ability to take a goose laying golden eggs and p1ssing it all away.

It is fascinating stuff and it is hard not to feel anything but sympathy for Duffy's friends, some of whom struggle to pay their rent while Troy pockets $300,000 for his script. That he immediately sets himself above them and refuses to give them a break in the same way he got one is a shocking condemnation of the man. I suppose it is interesting to think how we would react in the same situation but it was hard for me to imagine being such a jerk as was shown here. It could have been a stronger documentary by bringing more insight into the political games played within Hollywood or the wrangles behind every film, but in fairness Duffy is such an architect of his won downfall that Montana and Smith just seems to let their material do the talking.

Overall this is not a great documentary but it is a fascinating one. It could have been stronger in regards insight and comment but it is rare to see someone so completely destroy a brilliant opportunity simply by the power of their own arrogance. For this alone the film is well worth seeing and is engaging and interesting.

I saw this film at the San Diego Film Festival and consider myself extremely lucky to have seen it. The film chronicles the rise and crumble of Troy Duffy, temporary wunderkind. The film managed to capture the process of instant success and provide such a thorough window into one man's descent into his own ego. Duffy manages to ruin every single wonderful opportunity he is blessed with. He becomes a pariah in the film industry, a dirty word that even the munificent Harvey Weinstein won't touch. It is an incredibly intense, cringe-inducing film as you see Duffy unravel in front of the directors ever-present camera. Duffy uses the camera as confessional and it in turn captures his self-inflicted demise. It is a testament to the filmmakers ability that they managed to infuse the film with a palpable sense of pity for their subject. This film must be compulsory viewing for any filmmaker as a cautionary tale into the heart of hype, ego, and the fleeting love affair Hollywood has with the next big thing. Bravo gentlemen, you've made a great film.

1997. Miramax, scooping up Oscars and looking for the next big thing, seemingly found it in a small bar in West Hollywood, J. Sloan's. Pouring and knocking back drinks there is Troy Duffy, a blue-collar joe from back East who came out to LA to knock doors down in the music and film industry.

And does he ever- his simultaneous ascension in film and music are the stuff of the latest legend; Miramax and New Line have a bidding war over the rights to his 'Pulp Fiction with soul' Irish vigilante story, THE BOONDOCK SAINTS.

Miramax's Harvey Weinstein looks to seal the deal with a monstrous payday, giving Duffy his first shot at directing, hiring his band to do the soundtrack, and even planning to buy the bar they work in for them to seal the deal. We can't believe his good fortune, nor can we believe what happens as Duffy starts throwing weight around he hasn't earned yet and burning bridges the moment he begins to cross them.

Mark Brian Smith and Tony Montana's documentary OVERNIGHT is the chronicle of Troy's rise and fall, taking his working-class Rat Pack (dubbed The Brood Syndicate) with him. The group consisted of Duffy, his brother Taylor and the rest of the band, and several others (including the documentarians). Duffy has energy, cajones, attitude and drive to spare and the filmmakers were there from day one to capture whatever he threw their way.

And there's apparently a lot of it, beginning with vows of shared riches and boasts of complete Hollywood domination, chased with enough booze to knock a mountain off its barstool. Eventually the only thing getting thrown are constant insults, threats, and promises which go up in smoke as Miramax puts the film into turnaround and stops taking Duffy's calls.

Troy strings the exasperated band members along as well as the filmmakers, who end up getting shut out of profits and hanging on endlessly for what they hope will be the pot of gold they've been told is just around the corner. The film eventually goes into production through indie financiers on a fraction of the original budget, making a boisterous premiere at Cannes only to be ignored by studio buyers. Eventually it gets a token release and is dumped to DVD. The band finally gets their deal and puts their first album out there..and manages to sell less than 1000 copies, quickly vanishing.

You know that feeling when you're stuck in a room during a biting argument and you freeze and just let it sink in? Overnight puts you in this spotlight often but is never less than fascinating. Though the film's incredibly well-structured and involving, and generates the requisite watching-a-car-wreck thrill, you'd be rooting for ANYONE'S downfall after screening select footage of them being a complete asshole for 80 minutes. I'm sure it isn't a complete smear job, but it's a bit too insular to be objective..the filmmakers are obviously not friends with this guy anymore; but given what we are shown on screen it's hard to come away on Duffy's side.

Who knows with these things what gets taken out to support a directorial agenda, but taken on its own, it's riveting to watch, and Duffy isn't doing himself any favors with scenes of tearing his new agents a new one on the phone, reneging on his financial promises to the filmmakers as they're losing their apartments, and putting down Boston film students who call him on his sour take on what's happened to him.

The final moments are squirm-inducing as we see how everyone ends up, particularly footage of the worn-down band members now living their dreams of manual labor, catering, supermarket checkout, etc.

It's not quite the rags to riches to rags story one goes in expecting, particularly if you're familiar with all of the outcome-Boondock Saints has grown a huge cult following since its release, which isn't mentioned-though Duffy has yet to work since then. Still it's a knockout cautionary tale, and a hell of a lesson in the benefits of occasional humility. And above all, if Harvey Weinstein hands you the keys to the kingdom, don't call him unprintable names on camera.

What these two filmmakers have managed to accomplish is nothing short of heroic. Duffy's arrogance, insecurity, and fear are so evident in the way he abuses himself and everyone around him, yet he's blind to it himself. No wonder he wears sunglasses all the time. What also struck me was the apparent mindlessness with which everyone just went along with his global bullying. That Smith and Montana manage to evoke even a tiny bit of sympathy for Duffy from some audience members is a tribute to their vision. I was one of the privileged 300 or so to see this in preview at the UCI Extension/Regal screening, and I say privileged because we also were treated to an hour of the filmmakers' time for candid discussion after viewing the film. I am in awe of their endurance, of their perseverance, of their solid commitment to bringing the project to fruition, of staying true to the story no matter how bizarre. Life is, indeed, often stranger than fiction. If these two ever do another project together, I want to be part of it in some small way, even if it's paying their grocery bill.

In 1997, Troy Duffy was dubbed the next big thing in Hollywood before he even got a movie into production. Eight years later, he still only has one film to his credit. "Overnight" follows Duffy's almost unfathomable fall from grace, in such a way that it is nearly impossible to turn away from the screen, making the viewer constantly wonder what blunder Duffy will make next. What is shocking is not so much that the script for the pretentious though passable film The Boondock Saints generated such enormous hype, but that Duffy was able to take an opportunity that every aspiring filmmaker and/or musician dreams about and not just blow it, but obliterate it.

From the outset, Duffy is established as an aggressive, take charge individual which could have been a great asset for him if he knew where to draw the line. As the documentary progresses, Duffy's hubris comes to the forefront. He fancies himself as a businessman extraordinare and visionary that can't be bothered to listen to anyone else's opinion in any given situation. Brick by brick, he tears apart his potential career, and we get to see it every step of the way. In the end, his boorish behavior led to him being blacklisted from Hollywood, and his band's album sold so poorly that they were released from their recording contract soon after its release. In a final piece of irony Duffy, after making it known that he's smarter than everyone else, failed to secure any backend profit rights for video and DVD sales of Boondock Saints. The film, after barely being released in theaters, went on to produce strong sales in the home video market.

If Bernardo Bertolucci, the director of TRAGEDY OF A RIDICULOUS MAN, had directed OVERNIGHT, he might have titled it COMEUPPANCE OF AN EGOTISTICAL MAN. That egotistical man is Troy Duffy, a bartender and aspiring screenwriter/director/musician from New England who became the star of his own real-life Cinderella story. THE BOONDOCK SAINTS, Duffy's original Boston-set script about two Irish brothers-turned-vigilantes, was bought by Miramax's Harvey Weinstein, who sweetened the deal by letting Duffy direct and score the film as well as buying Duffy's tavern. Alas, Duffy's cockiness proved to be outright arrogance as he began making demands before production began on either the film or the album, and this Cinderella Man's coach turned back into a pumpkin. Even Duffy's brother Taylor and his longtime friends come in for harsh treatment from the not-so-wunderkind, as he keeps expecting them to work their butts off despite their funds dwindling to the point that some of them are on the verge of being evicted. By the end of the film, almost all of The Brood Syndicate, as they call themselves, have gone back to the kind of manual labor jobs they thought they'd left behind once Miramax came calling, and Duffy is a Hollywood pariah. In addition to Duffy's egotism, his naïveté contributed to his downward spiral. Surely he'd spent enough time in L.A. at that point to have heard about Weinstein's tendency to snap up movie properties and then either put them in turnaround or leave them gathering dust on the shelf (didn't he ever pick up issues of VARIETY, THE Hollywood REPORTER, etc.?). Moreover, Mr. I Know More Than the Guys Who've Been in the Film Business for Years neglected to include broadcast and home video rights in his William Morris contract, so despite THE BOONDOCK SAINTS eventually overcoming its pitiful 5-theater release to become a cult favorite on home video, Duffy doesn't make a penny off it. Don't miss the Albert Goldman quote at the end about how fame doesn't change a person, but instead acts as a "truth drug" that reveals the person's true character. Granted, the directors of OVERNIGHT are two of Duffy's former friends from The Brood Syndicate, but they swear they actually left out footage that would have made Duffy look even worse. I suppose Duffy is lucky there isn't a Director's Cut of OVERNIGHT -- angry mobs would be chasing him down with flaming torches! :-)

I gave this movie 9 of out 10 because it gave me great pleasure in the end to see the outcome and downfall of an arrogant, foul-mouthed, fat, dirty, self-centered fool. The other delight is knowing that his downfall is taped and recorded - every word, every damning phrase, every ridiculous self-centered comment all on tape for all to see and enjoy. I wonder if Duffy even has enough money now for a Blockbuster membership to rent this sad depiction of a very sad man - himself. He had everything - incredible luck, family, friends, tremendous support, talent (although this is only proved by his movie not his actions in the documentary) and several chances but he chose to crap all over every single one of them till he ended up sadly where he deserves - with no one, going no where and seeing no plausible way out of it. I would never wish ill on anyone but there is a sweet justice in seeing an arrogant, sad and vain fool get what he deserves in the end. Stacey Brooks, Atlanta, Georgia

This is a doc that makes you squirm in pain at what you see happening on the screen-- no matter how you feel about the "Harvey" referenced repeatedly in the film, Troy Duffy manages to make you take Harvey's side. That, in itself, is a major accomplishment. There is no sugarcoating what you see on the screen, no Moore-ish distortions, just Duffy managing to show the viewers exactly what he is made of, and how he feels about himself, and everyone else to boot.

A great documentary, well worth watching-- and when available, buying on DVD to keep on your shelf in case you need to remind yourself about "staying humble."

An interesting take on pain-- emotional pain-- on giving it, receiving it, and living through it. .

I want to say at the outset that this is a great documentary. Its much better than the 7 I gave it, but I had to knock it down a few because its subject matter, Troy Duffy, is so incredibly unpleasant I never want to see him again.

This is the story of Troy Duffy a man who managed to become the hottest guy in Hollywood for all of six minutes before it all went away and left him with nothing thanks to his own wonderful personality.

The documentary, made by two ex-friends, takes him from the first glory days as Troy signs with Miramax to have his script produced with him directing, with perks and it follows as it all unravels at lightning speed and he's left with...nothing.

The footage, shot by "friends" with unimagined access, shows Troy as he tries to get his movie made while his ego explodes. Troy can't shut up, or if he can he doesn't know when to. He is one of the most foul mouthed people I've ever seen with even the simplest of sentences peppered with four or five f-words. At first he seems ballsy and no nonsense but rapidly he becomes drunk, gruff and unpleasant with his tell it like it is (or how he feels) attitude becoming a bludgeon to everyone around him. Many friends fall away. The film makers, who were friends, apparently admitted that on some level the film is skewed by their dislike for Duffy, but seeing as there is so much footage of Duffy in action, the amount of film/tape showing him in a good light has to be infinitely small. He's an ill mannered jerk, whom even his brothers seem to think will screw up. And screw up he does as the film goes into "turn around" and he's forced to come up with Plan B as his money and "power" begins to drop away. I don't want to say more since what happens is the movie.

Its a brutal, ugly, unpleasant and uncomfortable story. Its 90 minutes with a jerk and its compellingly watchable (only once since he's too hateful to experience more than that). Troy Duffy will forever be the yardstick by which Hollywood jerks are measured.

As you live your day to day life, chances are you say to yourself over and over "Why can't so-and-so get what they deserve and most importantly, why can't I BE there when they get it?" Well, Brian Smith and Tony Montana are here to make your day with "Overnight," the doc they shot over a 3-year time span, chronicling their horrendous ride alongside Troy Duffy, the man who cursed us with the derivative and pointless "Boondock Saints." To say Duffy is an unlikable person is a tremendous understatement, but, a**hole or not, "Overnight" shares an important message that applies to all of us, whether we find ourselves in a pi**ing match with Harvey Weinstein or not: you just don't crap where you live.

That Duffy had no idea of Weinstein's pull or cache in the business is all the proof you need that he's borderline retarded. But "Overnight" wastes no chance to show you, in vivid detail, what a boring, arrogant smug POS he is, to boot. And yes, Smith and Montana obviously have an agenda here. As you watch the film, it's obvious why they want to pay him back. That might really sway my opinion under other circumstances, but who can really blame them in this case?

As a doc, "Overnight" is competently made. It won't blow your doors off with any real insights, innovative camera work or notable framing devices, but it's ability to get Duffy on camera, blowing his stack at film students, executives, agents, band members, and friends (ha ha) for no apparent reason other than to flex his own sagging muscle, is almost worth the price of admission. It's akin to getting your worst enemy on film doing all the evil stuff they normally do, only now you can prove it, and the gratification shines through.

The ending is priceless, the quote by Goldman is wonderful, and the freeze-frame of the dive shot...perfect.

There is nothing more enjoyable than watching a very mean and terrible person getting what he deserves. It helps me get up in the morning that complete jerks like Troy Duffy get what they deserve. He is an egotistical under talented sexist intolerant moronic alcoholic piece of trash that I have no sympathy for. He clearly did it to himself. Although I have to say this film was not well put together and carried on on some subjects too long it was very entertaining. It is amazing to see how much Troy Duffy thinks of himself. He is a jerk to his whole family especially his brother. I really cannot believe he is trying to get back into the industry with Boondock Saints 2. Poof!

I purchased The Boondock Saints on DVD back in the summer of 2002 solely on word-of-mouth buzz from a few friends without so much as seeing a trailer for it, one of only two times I've done so. Like most guys, I liked it immensely and I too passed on recommendations to other friends. I consider myself a pretty avid film buff, so I couldn't understand why I had never heard of the movie's writer/director Troy Duffy beforehand. After some research I finally found a copy of Overnight, and after watching it I now know the answer to that question. This documentary captures with stunning insight and clarity the story of a man who essentially wasted a once in a lifetime opportunity by way of his incredible arrogance and profanely abusive personality.

If you were to look up "karma" in the dictionary, you would probably find a picture of Duffy with the definition. The story sounds too good to be true, mostly because it is. Here's a guy who was handed quite possibly the most incredible opportunity for a first time movie-maker in the history of Hollywood, and it managed to come crashing down before it even took off. A script for The Boondock Saints personally purchased by none other than Harvey Weinstein, a recording deal for his band and the purchase of the bar he was working in at the time making him a co-owner: all of these things were placed at his feet. Such an overwhelming reversal of fortune seemingly out of nowhere would be hard to handle for anyone, but instead of meeting the deal with gratitude and humility Duffy instead used it as an excuse to further inflate an ego that was apparently immense even before his incredible run of luck. Friends and family were verbally assaulted, complete strangers were subjected to vulgar tirades and members of his band were denied any credit concerning the group's record deal. In one of Overnight's more memorable scenes, The bands co-managers are told by Duffy that they don't deserve any of the band's profits because they were only there by his good graces and hard work. Through an amusing if not catastrophic series of events, the film deal with Miramax fell through, the band's contract was terminated before they even set foot in a studio and no other studio in Hollywood would even consider making The Boondock Saints. The dream, for all intents and purposes, was over.

Duffy eventually made Boondock Saints on half the budget offered by Miramax with a 5 theater theatrical release and the band's album was a resounding flop with less than 700 copies sold. The band's co-managers, once good friends and the co-directors of this film, originally set out to make a documentary of Duffy's rise to stardom but changed their tone drastically once he revealed his true persona. The result is a scathing and often startling glimpse into the downward spiral of a modern day Narcissus undone by his own greed and hubris. Plans for a Boondock Saints II release sometime in 2009 generated mixed buzz on the internet with many people stating the time for a sequel has long passed to have any sort of success. If the sequel does indeed become a hit, it will would be hard to attribute its good fortune to Duffy and perhaps even harder to not harbor jealousy towards him. As Overnight convincingly shows, it wouldn't be well deserved.

Maybe there is some wit to the film, The Boondock Saints - but I didn't see any....begged my friend to turn it off actually. That was even before I met Tony Montana and his girlfriend at my sushi restaurant in NY. Tony was super cool and I have to say very genuine.

To watch that doughy, smoky, foulmouthed, hack of a douche-bag Troy Duffy or as he likes to be called, T. Duff - go off on the few guys with integrity in his "Syndicate" makes my stomach turn.

But the capper - HE IS A RAGING ANTI-SEMITE AND RACIST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! In this film you can hear him say it himself when he accuses the music engineers of being "Jewish" about production - whatever that means. I think it's because they wanted to have input on his crappy band's music..and clearly the musical aficionado that he is - seeing as how they only sold 690 albums...has more expertise.

I highly encourage all to do as I've done and let this misogynistic, alcoholic, anti-semitic, racist piece of scum know that he should save the world a lot of grief and not make a sequel and just crawl back under the rock he came from. Write him at [email protected].

This is not just a fantastic story; the film is beautifully produced. You can't pull your eyes away from it, just like a burning building, simply because you cannot believe this is non-fiction. Tony and Mark endure so much more than normal humans should ever endure from a so-called friend for the duration of their story, and it is all captured on film. However it is they who get the last laugh. I was so amazed that I saw it twice. I look forward to seeing your next work. Be it another documentary or not, the editing and production of "Overnight" has turned me into a lifelong fan of its filmmakers, and a lifelong head-shaker in the direction of Troy Duffy.

So who was the blow hard at the end of the movie standing outside of a bar? Harvey, er no Troy of course.

Wow, the sheer arrogance of this guy. Just how does he live with himself? Now everyone who meets Duffy will avoid him like the plague lest they endure his endless "No one appreciates my genius" tirade. Like Harvey or not, Duffy wasn't smart enough to know decent manners or listen to anyone else. Well, now he's got time to reflect without all the pressure of being the best in the world.

I just couldn't wait to see him fall. How does he expect anything more in life when he just bullies people? Yeah, who's laughing now Duff? I truly don't think this guy will ever learn humility, if he had from the beginning he might have been a success. What goes around comes around.

Over the course of three viewings I have finally seen this entire film.

The first time I started watching this film it was about the halfway point. I caught it just when things were starting to roll for the boys in the band. It was intriguing to see how arrogant and disrespectful Troy was to his band mates and friends. Yet they tolerated his abuse, and plodded on, thinking that there was going to be a big payday on the horizon that would make it all worth it. Eventually, I pieced the rest of the film together over two more viewings, and as one piece it's a doozy.

First off, I am so glad someone decided to put a camera on this whole situation. It's seems crazy at times to think that Troy Duffy would say and do all that he did with a camera on him, on what seems like an around the clock basis. I don't know about you, but I have this little voice in the back of my head that tells me not to do things, and when I am on video, that voice gets even louder. Whoever was taping Troy had to have been saying to himself, "one day, this is going to be worth it." This film goes up and down, over and over. One minute Troy is nice to everybody, he's happy, they're getting deals made, or so they think. Then a hurdle is overcome, they celebrate, the deal falls through, and Troy goes ballistic on everyone within arms reach. Rinse, Repeat.

I'm willing to bet that Troy has been in quite a few fist fights in his life. There is no way a person can walk around being that proud of themselves, despite not being a very good person, and not find a few guys willing to throw haymakers at him.

I loved how this movie brought to light how crazy the lust for fame and fortune can make people. The pursuit of fame and fortune drove Troy to be a major pain in the ass for lots of people. It also drove his band mates to tolerate his behavior. I love this movie, it's tragic and funny, it's sad and true and realistic, but I don't feel a bit downtrodden when I watch it. Even though the film doesn't show anyone but Troy acting like a obvious dick, (he kinda takes the cake for being a dick), I don't feel bad for them at all. The band must have needed him much more than Troy needed the band. Otherwise they would have dumped Troy just as quickly as everyone else did.

This is the story of David and Goliath; except Goliath wins. (You didn't buy that story about the sling, did you?) David in this case is Troy Duffy, Boston bartender-turned cause celebre, after Miramax boss Harvey Weinstein snaps up his script, The Boondock Saints, in a promised multi-million deal. Amazingly, Duffy will also direct and his bad, the rubbishly-named 'The Brood', will score, having rush-signed with Madonna's record label. Trouble is, Duffy's ego is easily the match for Harvey's ("There is a deep cesspool of creativity here" he bellows without irony) and he soon, er, displeases Harvey, who dumps the project without a second thought. From this point on it's a study in psychosis: determined to get his movie made, Duffy the duffer alientates absolutely everybody (including the documentary makers) in the face of industry indifference. The punchline? Duffy's finished film is utter guff.

"Overnight" has been described as the true-life story of a ballsy blue-collar independent film maker taking on a millionaire movie mogul tyrant. Guess which one you end up rooting for?

Troy Duffy was a bartender with no movie experience. He'd never before written a script or even made a short. One day the millionaire head of Miramax Studios, Harvey Weinstein, strolls into Duffy's bar, buys a script off him and offers him $15M to direct the movie with his own choice of cast. "Overnight" Duffy was touted as the new Tarantinto. Stars flock to get drunk and hang out with him, hoping to get a part in the next "Pulp Fiction."

Duffy asked friends Tony Montana and Mark Smith to document his rise to fame with a video camera. What they captured was arrogance the likes of which we've before seen on camera. If "Overnight" was fiction it would be dismissed as too over-the-top to be believable.

"Overnight" does however have flaws, in that there are many unanswered questions: Why did Harvey Weinstein sign an unknown quantity like Duffy? Why did Miramax suddenly drop him? Why do Harvey Weinstein and the actors never tell their side of the story?

Montana and Smith have answered these questions in interviews, but they really should have included them in the documentary:

In Hollywood just because a studio buys your script doesn't mean it's going to be become a movie. Sometimes they buy a script to stop another studio from getting it. Sometimes they buy on name alone. "Boondock Saints" is a great name, and some claim Weinstein hadn't even read the script when he bought it.

It also depends on whether any big name actors show interest. Miramax sent their A-list star Ewan McGregor to meet Duffy in the hope they would hit it off and pair up. Instead McGregor returned disillusioned by Duffy's arrogance, drunkenness and inexperience. Although the documentary glosses over this, it was the turning point and from here it was all over: On top of Duffy's personal attacks, the questionable quality of the script and Miramax's own finances it was then Weinstein decided it was time to bail. Rather than being blacklisted, it seems no one wanted to work with him. But "Overnight" stays well away from this and leaves us scratching our heads. If anything, it looks like Duffy is being discriminated against because the Hollywood elite won't work with a 'First Time Director'. It would have greatly benefited if they explained what actually happened in-film.

"Overnight" does go very easy on Weinstein. Montana and Smith were in no mood to pick a fight with him and gave him an advance screening to let him know they weren't attacking him. Perhaps having seen it he felt there was nothing he needed to add?

As for the actors we see almost nothing of, we assume they didn't sign releases to appear in the documentary. Actors aren't in the habit of criticizing their directors, no matter how deserved that criticism may be. Even Billy Connelly who has spoke about Duffy in public will only say the kindest of things. Montana and Smith said in interviews that the actors weren't impressed by Duffy's begging them to go out drinking with him, when their attitude was "Troy, we're trying to make a movie here." If they can tell us this in interviews, why couldn't they tell us this in the documentary?

Montana and Smith said they decided not to do a "Making Of" documentary, but go too far the other way. We never learn why, despite Duffy having no experience at all, in "Boondock" he was able to turn in a relatively polished film. Is he a natural talent, or did the film's financiers parachute in an experienced production team to run the production for him? The question is never asked nor answered.

Montana and Smith have been accused of being vindictive but given the way Duffy treats them on camera I think you can credit them with showing a lot of restraint. They said they left out many of Duffy's racist, sexist and homophobic rants. They also don't talk of Duffy's attempts to kill their documentary after his movie bombed at the box office and the record label dropped his band for poor sales.

We are told it is bad to take joy in the failure of others, but Duffy makes this difficult. It's not so much his arrogance, but his appalling treatment of everyone - especially his "friends", and that he never admitted how things turned out is his own damned fault.

The sad thing is that apart the film's financiers nobody did well out of the whole "Boondock" experience. Despite being known to Harvey Weinstein, Montana and Smith have been relegated to minor roles in the industry. Duffy's band never took off, and his actors never got their big break. Duffy himself couldn't land another job until he made "Boondock Saints II" ten years later. The sequel made a bit of money off the name, but reaffirmed that Duffy has no real talent. No good came of this, except as a morality play for the rest of us.

There are many Troy Duffys in the world, but few of them are willing to show it on-camera. When Donald Trump does it you know he's hamming it up, but with Troy Duffy you get the real deal. For this rawness and despite its flaws "Overnight" makes compelling viewing. (If Montana and Smith decide to re-release this documentary with the missing material, I'll give them another two stars.)

The most disappointing thing about this film is knowing that Troy Duffy finally managed to put together another movie. The man is (or was if he learned anything) one of the biggest douches in Hollywood. A moderate talent at best, he has a chip on his shoulder the size of the rock of Gibraltar. Watching him fail is a sweet satisfaction. Some (myself included) want to see success go to not just those who have the talent, but also the class and appreciation when they get it. Nothing quite so rewarding as watching people like Lindsay Lohan, Tom Cruise, and Michael Jackson suffering defeat, failure and disappointment when they haven't the slightest degree of humility. When you get the world handed to you, you should humbly bow and say "thanks," not "It's about time. I deserve this!"

This documentary follows Troy Duffy from his job as a bartender almost overnight to a high-powered director and creator of his first film BOONDOCK SAINTS as well as a leader of his own band who is making the music for this film. What makes this interesting is that with this first taste of success, Duffy is seen on film believing his own talents are limitless and saying that established actors and Hollywood executives are idiots! The scene that amazed me was when the practically unknown Duffy lists a long list of famous actors who he degrades as well as Jerry Bruckheimer and Harvey Weinstein--who have been responsible for a HUGE number of hits and are MAJOR players in Hollywood!!! What an arrogant little toad! Thinking this is bad enough, but saying it on film is amazing! This isn't the end of it, however, as he begins making statements about how Miramax Films must "kiss his...." or else!!! Right and left, he threatens and makes ultimatums. He even goes so far as to say "I don't give a .... about making enemies with Miramax--in fact I look forward to it". In essence, as soon as he feels success, Duffy burns down the bridges all around him and wastes every bit of good will towards him. He simply comes off as a crude, arrogant jerk and problem drinker--and amazingly, Troy knew all this was going on film and didn't care!! By the time the film is completed, no matter how successful it was, his future was doomed in Hollywood--and from what this documentary shows, you sure couldn't feel sorry for him. Imagine what he would have said and done had he NOT been on film!! This MIGHT have been his best behavior!

Most of the behaviors I described happened near the beginning of the film. Later, he even attacks his own best friends and band-mates--eventually finding himself very alone and broke. After a while, there's no room left for anyone in Troy's film but himself!!

As a documentary, it achieves something very rare--people on film who are not inhibited and reveal their inner selves is a tough thing to find. It seems that Duffy's antisocial personality, paranoia and narcissism couldn't be contained for the documentary and as a result, the film makers (Tony Montana and Mark Brian Smith) hit pay-dirt--they get some incredibly compelling and hard to ignore footage. Then, they assembled it in a masterful way--creating a haunting and sad film.

Sadly, there are a lot of very talented independent film makers who never get a golden opportunity like Duffy and I am sure they would have the maturity to handle it. Life truly doesn t seem fair when you see that such a horrible person who has been given so much. Plus, I feel sorry for the good and hard-working people who were pulled down with him--they didn't deserve this.

By the way, if the documentary makers could only get David O. Russell AND Troy Duffy to make a film together--THAT would be an amazing documentary!

WARNING TO PARENTS--Duffy is a horrible and gross person. His language is enough to make sailors blush and this is definitely NOT a film for kids, though it would make a great one for psychology class!!

** MINOR SPOILERS **

This film shows how the perfect opportunity can be destroyed. Troy Duffy is the writer/director who strikes it rich when his screenplay for "The Boondock Saints" is bought by Harvey Weinstein at Miramax. Duffy is going to get an upfront fee, get to direct, have his band do the film score and everything.

But, when the film doesn't get made right away, Duffy's paranoia gets the best of him, leaving him on the outs with the studio. Duffy decides to take the film to a small studio, and get it made for half the original budget and for half his original fee.

The remainder of the film shows the fate of the film and what becomes of Duffy and his friends.

The bottom line is, once you get your deal, be thankful. Be passionate about your project, yes. But, realize that you are getting what so many others out there could only hope to have. Even if there are some bumps or lots of bumps in the process, you have to accept what comes your way. Because, the second you start alienating a studio, you can forget it.

After all, would you want someone who you gave a big break to tell you to go (bleep!) yourself? No. Duffy does it, and in his meltdown, loses everything he had or ever could have.

The film is well made, well paced and is one of the most telling documentaries on the film industry.

( 8 Out of 10 Stars ******** )

I kept hearing about the Boondock Saints for a while before I saw Overnight. It was the kind of film that was always on the shelf at Blockbuster, with Willem Dafoe and several other indie actors on the cover, and several people on IMDb put it on their favorite films ever made. It is a cult film, but it's one of those that I found after watching got too much buzz even just from the people on the boards; not a failure, but certainly not a good film, the kind of work that starts off making the viewer think its terrific, then goes downhill from there in a midst of conventions and over-wrought violence. I think if I had seen Overnight first before ever hearing of the Boondock Saints, I might know what I would be in for, but it would still serve as a curiosity. As it turns out, Overnight is far more fascinating and insightful than the film made by one-timer Troy Duffy.

The documentary was made by Mark Brian Smith and Tony Montana, who were not only apart of Duffy's inner circle of sorts, but also "had to keep shooting", and they say in an interview on the DVD, and are in the film themselves. Duffy, it seems, got a deal from Miramax films that in its own arena was unprecedented; one may even think to compare to Orson Welles' deal with RKO in 1939, only this time Duffy literally came out of nowhere. He became a 'hot item' for his script and for his band The Brood, which included his brother Taylor. Things seemed promising until, in what is described in the film (appropriately) as a 'turn-around', Harvey Weinstein shut Duffy out, and the film had to get made with less than half the budget after excruciating circumstances. But distributing the film, too, became a problem after the reception at Cannes. It ended up, as mentioned, gaining status on shelves, practically straight to video without any profit going to Duffy.

Overnight does explore the rift that was between Weinstein and Duffy (Harvey's only on camera for a moment, but is quoted by a reporter in the film saying "Was I right about him?"). However the main focus of the film is on Duffy himself, and how his sort of awakening in Hollywood reflects the others around him, particularly his band who are above the film's priorities (depending on the day). Candid scenes showing Duffy's arguments and feuds with the band (and the filmmakers, who at the time were co-managers of the band) would almost be funny if it wasn't so reality-based; this is the kind of stuff that should be on reality TV, but is only fit for a documentary. One may also be tempted to become subjective about Duffy as this kind of emblem of what not to do upon a golden opportunity. But on the other hand, the film ends with the perfect quote, stating that Hollywood doesn't bring change to a person, it just brings out more truth (ironically, in a town that is more often than not full of liars and ego-mongers).

Duffy, like Welles, had ambitions, and even some level of talent with his band and his screenplay. But unlike Welles he didn't see the forest full of trees. The film brings to light what a mogul like Harvey Weinstein can do to a first-timer not prepared for what's to come, but it also brings to light in a subtle, profound way how character and attitude and personality affect the ones around you. By the time Duffy finished his film, most of those around him had enough, and in the end most of everyone didn't make it anywhere in either the film or music industry, most particular Duffy. Although the directors said in the same interview that they cut out a lot that would've been even more damaging to Duffy, what's present is enough for the viewer to decide. Like all good documentaries, it presents its case well of its subject, and interestingly Duffy never plays down anything in his head. The film shows him as a beer guzzling, chain-smoking, mouth-of-a-sailor with two of the biggest chances in his life, and if anything at times he plays up to the camera (as many of us might), but it doesn't shy away the real situations. The extra bits where his fellow band-mates/friends comment on camera are also revealing, and it brings a full dimension, however bloated, to Duffy. In a sense I almost respect the film the Boondock saints after seeing inside his head, both carry similar qualities. In the end, Overnight is a must-see for film buffs and students alike, not just to see a success story gone bad, but to also get a sense of what to expect with opportunities.

This is a great documentary about the thing that all us bitter humans love to see most of all...failure! This is a fantastic failure story. It couldn't be anymore perfect. A loser named Troy Duffy writes what becomes a mega-sought-after script. Harvey Weinstein not only bought the script from Duffy but, amazingly, agreed to let Duffy direct (which he'd never done before) AND let Duffy's band do the soundtrack. No matter how repulsive you think Duffy is, you gotta give him respect for striking that deal in the first place. Incredible.

The rise of Duffy is incredibly quick, well overnight actually, one minute he's bouncing at a bar, the next thing he owns the bar and is schmoozing 'top' Hollywood actors like Zane, Swayze, Modine, Busy, Goodman...and they all appear to be kissing his ass.

By the way, don't get excited about all the big names, most of them are only on screen for a split second in some grainy, dark, home video-style footage shot from a distance.

This documentary gives an enlightening insight into pre-production for movies and puts these aforementioned actors in very normal situations (a BBQ, a bar) and makes them seem like, well, really cheap, desperate people who hang around 'the next big thing' like a bad smell. What this doc also does brilliantly is show us how easily someone can be dropped by Hollywood. Duffy goes from front-page news to non-employable in about 6 months. Amazing to see how fickle and spineless and sycophantic the stars are. They're your best friend when you're great, but they turn their back when you're no longer needed. That's not to say Duffy is any better, but is he any worse? Don't all the people in this movie deserve our pity as much as Duffy?

And this is where the documentary fails.... Before seeing this film I read it was about some guy who got a great break in Hollywood but then screws it up with his attitude and no one wants him. And this is supposedly what the doc is about.

However, I felt unsatisfied with the reasons behind Miramax dropping Duffy. The reasons are unclear. Yes, he's an idiot, but only when he's drunk. He's not the brightest of sparks but when he's sober he appears quite determined and driven, if a little off course. But not so offensive that no-one in the whole of Hollywood wants anything to do with him. The documentary never gives the reason for Duffy being dropped, only conjecture, supplied by a now paranoid Duffy himself anyway. So the whole entire point of this doc - Duffy's downfall - is made obscure.

The opportunity he had didn't go to his head as much as I was expecting. In fact, I felt he took a lot of the bad news quite well. I mean, lets look at what this guy was offered and imagine yourself in his shoes: One day a very powerful man in Hollywood called Harvey Weinstein offers to make a film from a script you wrote. Point 1. You're very, very pleased. You're on a high. You think you can retire. This is what you always dreamed about. That goal you set yourself as a kid? You reached it. Then he says you can direct. Point 2. It just gets better. You're self-confidence explodes, you think you're invincible. This is the best time of your life. You're in Hollywood and everybody knows your name. Point 3. He agrees to let your band, that you've tried to succeed with for years, produce the soundtrack for the movie. You're a hit, everybody loves you, all your worries are over.

Then, BAM! You're nobody. No one wants to know your name, no one wants to speak to you. But you don't know why.

Well, ladies and gentlemen, how would you feel? Frustrated? Angry? Upset? Duffy goes through all these emotions and treats some people badly. But we never see him treat Weinstein or any Hollywood execs badly (until after he is dropped), he just gets fired and we don't know why because the doc doesn't explain enough.

If anything, Weinstein is the bad guy here. It's like he was playing God. He takes the life of a nobody, gives him everything he ever wanted, then takes it all away. Go figure. The ending is satisfying because everyone of the group of friends that went with Duffy is in a dead end job. I can't explain why we love to see people do badly. Amazingly though, Duffy's back in production with Boondock 2.