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

When Dito ('Shia LaBeouf') and Mike ('Martin Compston') are talking about what music they should play, Mike says that they should sound like Black Flag or Major Conflict. Major Conflict is a NY hardcore band in which the director of the movie actually played when he was young.

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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

Laurie: [to Dito] You think you're a fuckin' man? That's just a tail between your legs.

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Crazy Credits

A small scene is shown in the end credits while "New York Groove" is playing.

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Connections

References Asteroids (1979)

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Soundtracks

"Baker Street"
Written and Performed by Gerry Rafferty
Courtesy of EMI Records
Under license from EMI Film & Television Music

User Reviews

A Guide to Recognizing YOURSELF...

An authentically heartfelt, and truly inspiring film, by a first-time filmmaker, Recognizing Your Saints, bellows deep in the heart and soul of everyone that is privileged to see it. Written and directed by Dito Montiel, from his autobiographical novel of the same title, Recognizing Your Saints is a sincerely brave effort, by a shy and yet outspoken filmmaker. Rehashing his hellish childhood in 1980's Astoria, Queens, Montiel brings a brilliant cast together to portray the misery of the youth growing up around him at the time.

Starring Robert Downey Jr. as the adult version of Montiel and Shia LaBeouf as the angst teenager, there is an almost perfect synergy between the two portrayals of Montiel at two different spectrum's of his life. Being called back to a Queens that Montiel left with his life and the clothes on his back, he is called back to take his dying father to the hospital.

Questions of fatherly love and compassion are brought out throughout the film, only to be answered by the gently grim, unyielding hand of Montiel's father played by native New Yorker, Chaz Palmintieri. Comparisons to Mean Streets, Kids and Raising Victor Vargas can be made to this New York drama on the whole. But, every scene, individually is so undeniably real that Montiel's film surpasses its comparisons and resonates as an entirely different type of film.

This film, about a group of kids can be told anywhere and that is what is unique about it, that it does not limit itself to the city it subsequently takes place on. It was a great surprise after the screening of the film, to have a nice personal Q & A, with the director himself. Being a very shy man, Montiel answered a few questions about the characters in the film, and where they are now. He also explained how much he loved working with the young cast, and breaking the rules of film making, he did not know existed. Overall this is a great film, filled with amazing performances, no one should miss.