A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints

Name: A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints
Genre: Drama, Crime
Released: September 29, 2006
Duration: 100 min
Rating: 67
Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Shia LaBeouf

2006

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 25 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 53 Ratings

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6.9

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6.9	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 53 Ratings

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A Guide To Recognizing Your Saints

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Movie Details & Credits

First Look International | Release Date: September 29, 2006 | R

Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Shia LaBeouf

Summary: A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints is writer/director Dito Montiel's candid debut capturing his youth in the mid-1980s in the toughest neighborhood of Astoria, Queens. Exuding the rawness and authenticity of such classic urban dramas as "Kids," "Mean Streets," "Do the Right Thing" and "Saturday Night Fever," the film is based on Montiel'sA Guide to Recognizing Your Saints is writer/director Dito Montiel's candid debut capturing his youth in the mid-1980s in the toughest neighborhood of Astoria, Queens. Exuding the rawness and authenticity of such classic urban dramas as "Kids," "Mean Streets," "Do the Right Thing" and "Saturday Night Fever," the film is based on Montiel's memoir of the same name. (First Look Pictures)… Expand

Director: Dito Montiel

Genre(s): Drama, Crime

Rating: R

Runtime: 100 min

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Critic Reviews

Don R. Lewis

Downey Jr. and LaBeouf as Dito as well as Chazz Palminteri as Monty are outstanding. Channing Tatum (who I've never heard of) is also amazing as the tortured soul Antonio. Read full review

Ann Hornaday

This is an exceptionally assured debut, and Montiel exhibits rare care with editing and sound design. His real forte, though, is casting, to which a brief scene featuring Downey and the incandescent Rosario Dawson powerfully attests. Read full review

Scott Foundas

It's forceful and alive and spilling over with crazy poetry. Read full review

Scott Tobias

The film feels like an earnest retread over old territory, albeit one that intermittently comes to life thanks to an amazing cast, expressive cinematography by French master Eric Gautier (Irma Vep), and Montiel's obviously heartfelt sentiments. Read full review

Premiere Glenn Kenny

For my money, if I'm in the mood for the kind of aesthetic and emotional experience Saints is selling, I'll just blast Jim Carroll's more concise (and rocking!) "People Who Died" out of my iPod. Read full review

Liam Lacey

As it dips in and out of the boys' lives, and occasionally wanders back to the contemporary Dito surveying the old neighbourhood, Saints never really integrates its two time periods. Read full review

M. E. Russell

The story of Dito escaping and then facing his demons is meaningful. But that story is so buried in actorly noise that it feels false. Read full review

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User Reviews

Marco

Feb 21, 2007

Unbelievably beauty, strange poetics, daring choices of voices filtering over scenes and a story that is hard to follow, but draws you in enough to blow your mind away in the end. It seems at time out of balance, but that is the beauty of it. and for some really weird reason, the ending, Unbelievably beauty, strange poetics, daring choices of voices filtering over scenes and a story that is hard to follow, but draws you in enough to blow your mind away in the end. It seems at time out of balance, but that is the beauty of it. and for some really weird reason, the ending, the compassion, the sincere deeply heartfelt empathy made me even shed a tear.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful

MattK.

Feb 19, 2007

Moments of such brillant authenticity with moments of stilted drama. Really good movie. I was a little surprised. Lots of great performances especially from the young cast. If it wasn't for some of the awkward later moments this would be one of the best films of the year. Check it out.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

StevenF

Jul 2, 2013

A time before Downey Jr. was Iron Man, before Shia LaBeouf became the annoying kid in Transformers and before Channing Tatum was a sizeable household name, they were brought together for a biopic of Dito Montiel and his early years in New York, now a man who has eluded his past by becomingA time before Downey Jr. was Iron Man, before Shia LaBeouf became the annoying kid in Transformers and before Channing Tatum was a sizeable household name, they were brought together for a biopic of Dito Montiel and his early years in New York, now a man who has eluded his past by becoming quite a successful writer, the film jumps between two timelines as we witness Dito and his early days in 1980s Astoria, New York, played by LaBeouf, and the present day, now played by Downey Jr.
The most stand out part of the earlier days in Dito's story is that of his damaged friend Antonio, played by Tatum, who gives a very heartfelt performance as the bullying and egotistical teen that is also beaten viciously by his father.
We occasionally see older Dito as he appears to be thinking about these pivotal moments in his past, guilt, heartache but seemingly joy flashes across his face, as his reluctance to come back to his childhood bearings start to show. In his past we see how determined he became to try and get out of his neighbourhood after meeting a new Scottish classmate who fills Dito's head with dreams of California.
Recognising Your Saints is often portrayed as a coming of age drama, deal with the issues that most teens face, identity crisis. But with Dito, his heightening sense of fear for his safety, his father's apparent love for Antonio who isn't is son and of course the pressures of leaving this all behind.
The unique editing of the film along with its very candid shots and reality show-esque dialogue have created a very emotionally riveting story of a man's real life, While all the cast involved are fantastically at the top of their game, my personal admiration goes to Channing Tatum, playing a man he bottles up every feeling and emotion he has in his big and bulging physique, who takes no prisoners, is awkward and hostile around new faces but ultimately looks out for his friends, perhaps too much.
Shia LaBeouf and Robert Downey Jr combine various characteristics and moving performances to bring the director and protagonist Dito Montiel to the screen, LaBeouf squashing his childhood baby face and Downey Jr continuing to prove himself as one of the finest actors of his generation. Also mention for the parents Monty and Flori, played with powerful performances from Chazz Palminteri and Dianne West.
A moving, beautifully shot and outstanding script have equaled to and enjoyable but heartbreaking tale of a boy with a messy life but with the same hope as many in his position, to leave his past behind and not let people hold him down.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

LiefS.

Dec 31, 2008

Trying best I can not to be bias, having the movie take place in the place I grew up myself; I have to give the movie an 8. I deducted two points for really little things such as catching a few geographical flaws like the trains going the wrong way and the wrong lines of the trains; this is Trying best I can not to be bias, having the movie take place in the place I grew up myself; I have to give the movie an 8. I deducted two points for really little things such as catching a few geographical flaws like the trains going the wrong way and the wrong lines of the trains; this is extremely small but as the movie was so realistic; they should have noticed this and also some scenes just ran for a little too long; the actual movie length was fine but just certain conversations like Downy Jr. in the car with his friend could have been cut shorter.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

PaulK.

Nov 2, 2006

I enjoyed this more as it went on, but the beginning and what becomes the past in flashbacks needed tighter editing, more focus, in particular with dialogue. A few chaotic scenes overloaded with expletives is fine, but the beginning ultimately drowns in it's redundancy. More character I enjoyed this more as it went on, but the beginning and what becomes the past in flashbacks needed tighter editing, more focus, in particular with dialogue. A few chaotic scenes overloaded with expletives is fine, but the beginning ultimately drowns in it's redundancy. More character development and a stronger conflict between the father and son would have put this one over the top. Still, this is worth a look on video.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

KenG

Oct 25, 2006

The story and the characters feel very standard for movies from this genre. I felt like I've seen it all many times before. Nothing is done here to make it rise above the pedestrian feel. I'm also getting kind of tired of movies where everybody is miserable, yet the script The story and the characters feel very standard for movies from this genre. I felt like I've seen it all many times before. Nothing is done here to make it rise above the pedestrian feel. I'm also getting kind of tired of movies where everybody is miserable, yet the script can't be bothered to suppy enough reason for the characters to as misable as they are. Where the characters are all unhappy, just because of this idea that characters are supposed to be unhappy in movies. Sometimes one of the movies, of which I speak, is done well enough to carry it off, this wasn't one of those times.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

SamJ

Oct 27, 2006

How is it possible for this amateurish, poorly-made and stereotyped movie to get these kind of reviews. We've seen it all before, done far better! This film is an embarrassment.

0 of 1 users found this helpful

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