Heaven Help Us (1985)

Synopsis
Charles Purpura scribed this semi-autobiographical tale about his experiences in a Brooklyn Catholic school of 1965 which suffers from the film's inability to decide whether it wants to be a sketch of the Catholic school experience or another version of Animal House. The film focuses on several Catholic school boys who get into ever increasing amounts of trouble with the presiding priests of the Catholic school, St. Basil's. Andrew McCarthy plays Michael Dunn, a newly arrived student who latches onto the class egghead Caesar (Malcolm Danare), who is constantly picked on by the class bully Rooney (Kevin Dillon). Rooney intimidates Michael and Caesar to become his erstwhile chums and, along with a few other quiet students, they receive corporal punishment for minor infractions, disrupting communion and confession and, ultimately, their antics inspire changes in the strict school hierarchy. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide