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A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints

R Released Sep 29, 2006 1h 44m Drama TRAILER for List
76% Tomatometer 94 Reviews 73% Popcornmeter 100,000+ Ratings
Dito Montiel (Robert Downey Jr.), a successful author, receives a call from his long-suffering mother (Dianne Wiest), asking him to return home and visit his ailing father. Dito recalls his childhood growing up in a violent neighborhood in Queens, N.Y., with friends Antonio (Channing Tatum), Giuseppe, Nerf and Mike.
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A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints

A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints

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Critics Consensus

A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints is a lively, powerful coming-of-age tale with winning performances and sharp direction from first-timer Dito Montiel.

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Critics Reviews

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Anna Smith Film4 Superb performances and a gripping retrospective plotline make this tough cookie an entertaining one, even if its adult story strand is weighed down with vagaries. Feb 27, 2008 Full Review Jonathan Rosenbaum Chicago Reader Given all the filmed memory pieces about screaming, violent Italian-American families in New York boroughs, I'm not especially thrilled by even a well-made example. Feb 27, 2008 Full Review Stella Papamichael BBC.com It positively crackles with energy, featuring startlingly raw performances from a cast that also includes Shia LaBeouf as the young Dito. And if it looks ragged around the edges, that's as it should be. Rated: 4/5 Jul 31, 2007 Full Review Cole Smithey ColeSmithey.com Dito Montiel adapts his autobiographical 2001 novel into a vivid slice-of-life drama from the Jim Carroll school of disaffected coming-of-age New York journalism. Rated: B+ Apr 24, 2009 Full Review Brandon Fibbs BrandonFibbs.com It is its very autobiographical roots that make Saints an emotional wallop, a raw, authentic work that is, at its defiant core, violently and unrestrainedly alive. Rated: 7/10 Feb 28, 2008 Full Review Walter Chaw Film Freak Central I love the scenes with young people in the middle of a hot New York summer, talking to one another like panthers circling. Rated: 2.5/4 Sep 6, 2007 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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stewart M gtitty real powerful coming of age tale in working class Queens. Moving but never sappy Tale about the need to leave your past behind but never forgetting Outstanding performances by all especialy Channing Tatum and Diabe Wiest. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 05/10/24 Full Review colin m Powerful movie featuring dysfunctional relationships in New York. A great film getting to the core of what people are. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Audience Member Despite some great performances and heartfelt moments, "A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints" doesn't quite seem to know what it wants to be, with inconsistent pacing and questionable themes, making it seem more confusing than rewarding in the end. Could've been much better, however, the movie just doesn't leave much of an impact on the audience as it definitely should have. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/21/23 Full Review Glen M THERE IS NO MESSAGE this is not church we don't need messages its real life with all the warts and flaws its teenagers being teenagers Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 08/23/22 Full Review torin f Presumably autobiographical (though fictionalized), this disjointed and ultimately boring film tells its story like a long form confession, but never offers the reflection, depth or insight to justify the indulgence. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Audience Member Overall, a pointless film. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 02/12/23 Full Review Read all reviews
A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints

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Cast & Crew

The Cake Eaters 64% 48% The Cake Eaters Winter Solstice 60% 43% Winter Solstice Aurora Borealis 69% 64% Aurora Borealis Local Color 39% 59% Local Color Little Children 80% 82% Little Children Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Movie Info

Synopsis Dito Montiel (Robert Downey Jr.), a successful author, receives a call from his long-suffering mother (Dianne Wiest), asking him to return home and visit his ailing father. Dito recalls his childhood growing up in a violent neighborhood in Queens, N.Y., with friends Antonio (Channing Tatum), Giuseppe, Nerf and Mike.
Director
Dito Montiel
Producer
Trudie Styler, Travis Swords, Charlie Corwin, Clara Markowicz
Screenwriter
Dito Montiel
Distributor
First Look
Production Co
Xingu Films
Rating
R (Pervasive Language|Drug Use|Sexuality|Some Violence)
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Sep 29, 2006, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
May 22, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA)
$516.1K
Runtime
1h 44m
Sound Mix
Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)
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