A Guide to Recognizing your Saints: GO SEE THIS FILM!!!

"A Guide to Recognizing your Saints" is a film based on the book written by the director and writer, Dito Montiel. If you want to see a movie that will blow you away, go rent this film. Its gritty and insane but powerful. Very, very powerful.

It starts off with Robert Downey Jr. as Dito Montiel, getting a phone call from his mother to come home to see his ill father and take him to the hospital. Throughout the film, the audience is shown flashbacks of what occurred during the 80s when Dito was growing up in Queens, New York and what made him leave. Young Dito is portrayed by Shia LaBeouf and he is best friends with Antonio, played by Channing Tatum. Dito and Antonio are close friends and are seen just hanging with other friends and a few girls. Things begin to change when Dito befriends a Scottish boy named Mike, portrayed by Martin Compston, who is in a band and enjoys going places rather than being around the grungy, dangerous streets of Queens. Antonio is nothing but trouble and Mike is Dito's way out of this scary, intimidating "home." Dito eventually leaves and doesn't return for 15 years.
This film, to me, was really enjoyable to watch. The acting was impressive, I've never seen Channing Tatum in anything like this and he took me by surprise. Shia LaBeouf and Robert Downey Jr. were incredible in their roles as well. As I was watching, Downey and LaBeouf acted a lot like each other which I thought was either really great casting or a really great idea to work together to have them almost be the same person with the same mannerisms. I also loved the relationships between Dito and his friends before he left and even when he comes back, it was so real so genuine. His relationship with his father is intense and has everyone anxious to see what will happen next, and its very difficult to watch a son come to terms with not only his father's rage but also his love.
I loved the way Dito Montiel filmed this raw coming of age story. The flashbacks fit perfectly throughout the film and there was never a dull moment. There is one scene where Dito first meets Mike and you hear their voice overs of what they are thinking and then you see what they actually say and act and I thought it was really interesting and different. Some shots were just snippets which I thought added even so much more to the grittiness feel of the film and the scenes.
Overall, I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys drama, violence and movies with a lot of heart. Its truly an inspiring story and it left me wanting more.