A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints (2006)

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

Director:

Dito Montiel

Writers:

Dito Montiel (book), Dito Montiel

Stars:

Robert Downey Jr., Rosario Dawson, Shia LaBeouf

7 wins & 9 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:

erect nipples | bare chested teenage boy | friend | coming of age | subway track | 

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Taglines:

Sometimes the only way to move forward is to go 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

Did You Know?

Trivia

When casting the teenage Laurie, Dito Montiel was torn between Melonie Diaz and another actress who resembled Rosario Dawson more. Deciding that Melonie's performance was stronger, he cast her instead. After the film came out, he said many people told him that the two looked so alike. Although fifteen years separate the two time lines, there is only five years between the two actresses (although Melonie Diaz is playing a character at least ten years younger than she is).

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Goofs

The song "New York Groove" is incorrectly credited to KISS. While he was a member of KISS at the time, and while KISS performed this song during their tours in the late 70's and early 80's, the song is actually from Ace Frehley's 1978 self titled solo album.

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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

Featured in At the Movies: The Prestige/Flicka/Marie Antoinette/A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints (2006)

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Soundtracks

An Evening under the Tracks
Written by Daniel Hulsizer
Performed by Daniel Hulsizer

User Reviews

Powerful and affecting... amazing debut

I liked the direction and acting better than the screenplay, although Dito Montiel has written a very moving story. His use of different styles and techniques- most of which came from him just experimenting or not really knowing what "to do"- are at first somewhat jarring, but grow to fit the fractured lives of his characters perfectly. This movie is not for everybody, but should be seen by anyone who is despairing of the state of American Independent movies. And the cast- truly brilliant. Pros like Dianne Weist (she can truly do no wrong, and her character would be so weak in a lesser actor's hands) and Chazz Palminteri are mixed with relative newcomers and complete unknowns that Montiel picked up in casting sessions out in Queens. For me, the whole movie was worth seeing Channing Tatum, however. He is heartbreaking and scary and full of explosive energy. The screen can barely contain him. One of the best movies I've seen in quite awhile.

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

13 October 2006 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints

Filming Locations:

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

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$94,784, 1 October 2006

Gross USA:

$517,809

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$2,035,468

Company Credits

Production Co:

Belladonna Productions, Truly Original, Xingu Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1