A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints (2006)

The movie is a coming-of-age drama about a boy growing up in Astoria, N.Y., during the 1980s. As his friends end up dead, on drugs or in prison, he comes to believe he has been saved from their fate by various so-called saints.

Director:

Dito Montiel

Writers:

Dito Montiel (book), Dito Montiel

Stars:

Dianne Wiest, Robert Downey Jr., Shia LaBeouf

8 wins & 7 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Dianne Wiest	...	Flori
Robert Downey Jr.	...	Dito
Shia LaBeouf	...	Young Dito
Melonie Diaz	...	Young Laurie
Laila Liliana Garro	...	Diane (as Julia Garro)
Eleonore Hendricks	...	Jenny
Adam Scarimbolo	...	Guiseppe
Peter Anthony Tambakis	...	Young Nerf (as Peter Tambakis)
Channing Tatum	...	Young Antonio
Anthony Tirado	...	Street Corner Puerto Rican (credit only)
Erick Rosado	...	Puerto Rican Van Driver
Steve Payne	...	Beach Chair Guy (as Steven Payne)
Chazz Palminteri	...	Monty
Tibor Feldman	...	Teacher
Martin Compston	...	Mike O'Shea

Storyline

Dito, a writer in L.A., goes home to Astoria, Queens, after a 15-year absence when his mother calls to say his father's ill. In a series of flashbacks we see the young Dito, his parents, his four closest friends, and his girl Laurie, as each tries to navigate family, race, loyalty, sex, coming of age, violence, and wanting out. A ball falls onto the subway tracks at a station, small things get out of hand. Can Dito go home again?

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Plot Keywords:

friend | coming of age | violence | 1980s | writer | 

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Taglines:

Queens, New York, 1986. Sometimes the only way forward, is back.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for pervasive language, some violence, sexuality, and drug use

Details

Official Sites:

First Look Studios Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

13 October 2006 (USA)

Also Known As:

Tus santos y tus demonios

Filming Locations:

Astoria, Queens, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$94,784 (USA) (29 September 2006)

Gross:

$516,139 (USA) (17 November 2006)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Belladonna Productions, Original Media, Xingu Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Dito Montiel was reluctant to cast Shia LaBeouf in the role of young Dito because Montiel was intent on casting an unknown. After the first rejection, however, LaBeouf pushed for one more audition. He came into the casting office, punched a hole in the wall, and convinced Montiel that he could bring a requisite amount of anger to the role.

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Goofs

In the scene where Antonio beats the Reaper with a bat in the store you can see Listerine Pocketpacks breath strips which didn't come to the market until the 21st century.

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Quotes

Young Dito: Cause me and Mike, we're going to California with our band and shit and I want you to come cause I love you, and the fucking Mets won.
Young Laurie: What? What did you say? You said you loved me.
Young Dito: What?
Young Laurie: You said you loved me right? I'm serious that shit means a lot to me you know?
Young Dito: Yeah I love you, i don't understand, I love you, cause I love you... fucking.
Young Laurie: [laughs] Stupid.

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Crazy Credits

For Antonio.

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Connections

References Asteroids (1979)

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Soundtracks

"A Sunny Stroll"
Written by Jake Pushinsky
Performed by David Wittman

User Reviews

One of my favs of the year

First time director Dito Montiel's "A Guide To Recognizing Your Saints" is a harsh autobiographical look back at his youth on the mean streets of Astoria, Queens in the mid 1980's. From the film's opening moments, Montiel introduces us to an intimate world of family and friendship that totally blindsided me by its greatness. There are moments in "A Guide To Recognizing Your Saints" that roll along with such force and emotion, that Montiel feels like a natural born filmmaker, infusing his personal heartache into strong characters breathing within a vivid time and place. Montiel's handling of edits, sound, and music are also powerful, such as a scene in Dito's kitchen between his father and group of friends that explodes into stark images and quick cuts to black. Montiel also handles the return home of Downey Jr. with care and vulnerability, searching for small answers that come in revelatory conversations with his mother (Dianne Weist) and grown up girlfriend Dianne (played by Rosario Dawson). And while such personal material can be hard to translate without lapsing into melancholy, Montiel finds a way to craft a clear eyed version of his life, allowing strong acting and electric film-making to take over the balance of the experience. I love finding unheralded gems such as this. The name of Robert Downey Jr. brought me to the theater and I discovered a true talent in Dito Montiel who has crafted one of the finest directing debuts in several years