Saint Ralph
Samuel Goldwyn Films | Release Date: August 5, 2005 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
51
METASCORE
Mixed or average reviews based on 21 Critic Reviews
Positive:
9
Mixed:
10
Negative:
2
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
100
Christian Science MonitorDavid Sterritt
This deliciously offbeat Canadian comedy gets its charm from marvelous acting and from a screenplay bursting with ideas. Great fun. Read full review
88
USA TodayClaudia Puig
The kind of well-acted, genuine heartwarmer that some people complain Hollywood doesn't bother making anymore. And in this case, Hollywood didn't. Read full review
88
New York PostKyle Smith
All of this is punctuated with refreshingly strange wit. Read full review
75
Portland OregonianM. E. Russell
Wants to be a sex farce, a sports film and a serious meditation on Catholicism. To its credit, it succeeds as all three. Read full review
70
Film ThreatStina Chyn
McGowan’s film isn’t just about following this boy’s private quest to accomplish the impossible. It is also about how he affects the other characters in the film. Read full review
70
VarietyJoe Leydon
Even though it sprints along a well-trod path through familiar territory, Saint Ralph remains surprisingly compelling. Read full review
70
The Hollywood ReporterMichael Rechtshaffen
A tart and tender comedy that pulls off a little miracle of its own by being genuinely heartwarming without leaving any cloyingly sticky emotional residue. Read full review
63
Charlotte ObserverLawrence Toppman
Tthe kind of movie the clergy can recommend to anxious parishioners. Read full review
63
Boston GlobeWesley Morris
As predictably uplifting movies go, Saint Ralph isn't completely charmless. Read full review
60
Dallas ObserverBill Gallo
Little Ralph comes off like "Billy Elliot" on steroids. Still, this an energetic movie that can be truly hilarious in spots, and it captures perfectly the oppressive atmosphere of a Catholic boys' school in the ’50s. Read full review
60
Los Angeles TimesKenneth Turan
Though Butcher is appealing, Saint Ralph is anchored by Scott's persuasive work as a model of intelligent decency. Read full review
60
TV Guide MagazineKen Fox
Far from the sentimental drivel you might expect given the subject matter, this amiable and heartfelt drama about an adolescent boy's attempt to rouse his comatose mother explores the meaning of faith by tapping into the original, rebellious spirit of Christianity. Read full review
50
Entertainment WeeklyGregory Kirschling
At first, Ralph and the movie have moxie -- the kid even gets busted for pleasuring himself in the public pool. Then Ralph starts asking us to take this cornball mission seriously. Read full review
50
Seattle Post-IntelligencerSean Axmaker
Scott, whose sensitive turn as a priest inspired by Ralph's conviction and commitment gives the film a touch of grace at the cost of revealing McGowan's drab direction of every other actor. Read full review
50
New York Daily NewsElizabeth Weitzman
The real miracle here is that the hard-working cast manages to turn McGowan's script into an intermittently touching tale. Read full review
50
Miami HeraldConnie Ogle
The sins of the inspirational Saint Ralph are venial, but they undeniably prevent the small Canadian film from stretching beyond the boundaries of an After School Special. Read full review
40
The A.V. ClubKeith Phipps
Scott can invest just about any scene with heft and intelligence, but neither the material nor his co-star give him much help. Read full review
40
Village VoiceEd Park
The most blatant rip-off is of the "Rushmore" soundtrack. But Ralph Walker is no Max Fischer, and his monomania gets dull fast. Read full review
40
Austin ChronicleMarrit Ingman
The film isn't going to catapult Butcher to international stardom, but he holds his own in it and helps to sell its curious logic. Read full review
30
L.A. WeeklyScott Foundas
In fairness, the movie isn't the absolute worst of its kind and there's a certain charm to Butcher's amiable, puppy-eyed performance. But Michael McGowan's direction is as flat as an asphalt road, and his script is gasping for air long before it enters the final stretch. Read full review
30
The New York TimesStephen Holden
This crude, inspirational tear-jerker is as sweet as a bowl of instant oatmeal smothered in molasses. It should please those who honestly believe that Santa Claus and God are synonymous; others may retch. Read full review
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