War of the Buttons

1994
PG
1h 34m

IMDb RATING

7.3/10

4.7K

YOUR RATING

The children of Ballydowse and Carrickdowse engage in battles where they cut of the buttons, shoe-laces and underwear of their captured opponents. This is to get the boys in trouble with their parents. They go to battle in mass groups of dozens, throwing stones and cutting off their opponents buttons etc. And sometimes they go to battle completely naked and exposed. In one such scene about 30 boys return from a battle to celebrate victory at a barn-house only to find some girls waiting for them and they get very embarrassed at losing their privacy.

Play trailer1:39

1 Video

7 Photos

Adventure Drama Family

Children from Irish villages engage in mischievous battles using humiliating tactics like cutting off buttons and underwear. They sometimes engage in nude conflicts leading to embarrassing e... Read allChildren from Irish villages engage in mischievous battles using humiliating tactics like cutting off buttons and underwear. They sometimes engage in nude conflicts leading to embarrassing encounters.Children from Irish villages engage in mischievous battles using humiliating tactics like cutting off buttons and underwear. They sometimes engage in nude conflicts leading to embarrassing encounters.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.3/10

4.7K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 2 nominations

Videos1

Trailer 1:39

Trailer

Photos7

Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
The parents of one of the boys in this film took a court action to prevent this film being released. The grounds for their action were that their son's naked buttocks could be seen in the film. the action was dismissed on the grounds that they (the buttocks) didn't appear on screen long enough to allow identification and also that the parents should have raised their objection before the scene was filmed.

Goofs
After the third skirmish, the Ballys get dressed in the boathouse/HQ and air some complaints to Fergus. Peter, is wearing a green and black coat with a light blue shirt buttoned up except for the collar in medium shots (from 40:33 to 40:34 and 40:39 to 40:40), but is shown with his shirt completely unbuttoned revealing his undershirt in a longer shot (40:43 to 40:45) which cuts back to the closer shot with his shirt buttoned (40:46). Another unbuttoned longer shot subsequently appears (40:52 to 40:53).

Quotes
Little Con: His willie, cut off his willie.

Connections
Featured in What's Up Doc?: Episode #3.6 (1994)

User reviews31

Review

Featured review

10/10

Unexpectedly endearing

I didn't expect much from this film when I rented it. Another Improbable Hero Kid movie?

The fine point of it is: No. If you run screamin' at the mention of Home Alone or Goonies, you needn't be afraid of a movie like this.

The kids impart a genuine, unself-conscious mood to everything in the film, contributing in large part to its subtle and pervasive good humor. I marvelled at the creativity of the Ballydowse kids, and was at the same time satisfied that their rivals were never reduced to mindless obstacles to rouse our sympathy.

As we can see the war from the kids' view, we can see its reflection in their parents, and of course, in adults everywhere. But the film keeps its subtlety here too; we're never beaten over the head with the analogy, but given the right views to delight in it - their creativity and intelligence belongs to all ages.

My one reservation is the soundtrack; it's manipulative and lacks the subtlety of the rest of it.

Three favorite scenes: Little Con breaking his eggs and marooned for a bit with the Carrick boys, the teacher translating Riley's passed note, and the carousal and tractor.