Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One Young Man's Funny, Heartening Quest to Make a Miracle., December 24, 2005
"Saint Ralph" is the second movie of 2005 to use religious faith, specifically Catholicism, to create drama and humor in stories about young people and their families. The first was the British film "Millions", about a boy who believes a sack of money that landed on his play house must have come from God. From Canada, we get "Saint Ralph", a good-natured dramedy with genuine emotions and an appealingly mischievous young lead. I find it interesting that both of these films are able to take religious faith seriously, because their main characters do, without taking the doctrine, itself, very seriously. They seem to view religion as a matter-of-fact part of the human experience at the root of many meaningful experiences and a lot of comic absurdity as well. The results are charming, creative films that appeal to both religious and secular audiences.
In 1953, Ralph Walker (Adam Butcher) is a 14-year-old Catholic school freshman always in trouble with the stern headmaster Father Fitzpatrick (Gordon Pinsent) for petty transgressions. Ralph's is full of life and optimistic, but his girl-chasing and mischief-making belie his troubles. His beloved mother, his only family, is gravely ill. When she falls into a coma, Ralph despairs that he may lose her and end up in an orphanage. Conventional methods of waking her won't work. Ralph needs a miracle. When the coach of his school's cross-country team, Father Hibbert (Campbell Scott), mentions that any of his students winning the Boston Marathon would be "a miracle to rival the loaves and fishes", Ralph concludes that that's just the miracle his mother needs. If Ralph can win the Boston Marathon, his mother will recover, or so he believes. With the help of Father Hibbert, his mother's nurse Alice (Jennifer Tilly), and his would-be girlfriend Claire's (Tamara Hope) well-intentioned but screwy advice, Ralph sets out to be a marathoner.
The most crucial thing writer/director Michael McGovern had to do was probably to choose the right actor to play Ralph. Adam Butcher is young and relatively inexperienced, but he has to carry this film. And he does. Ralph is wonderfully irreverent, idealistic, and touchingly loyal to his mother, and he's in nearly every scene. He's funny, dramatic, empathetic, and gives "Saint Ralph" a great deal of emotional authenticity, even though it is a somewhat fanciful story. Butcher is just terrific. I'm sure no small amount of credit is due Michael McGovern's direction. Campbell Scott, one of the greatest living character actors, takes a supporting role with limited dialogue that could easily be called a cliché, but he is able to give Father Hibbert enough emotional weight to overcome that. "Saint Ralph" is low-key and doesn't' strive to be realistic, but it knows where the humor lies in everyday life and isn't afraid to take the view of a young man with some goofy ideas. It's really an enjoyable film.
The DVD (Sony Pictures 2005): Bonus features are one featurette and an audio commentary. "Behind the Scenes of Saint Ralph" (9 minutes) is primarily interviews with writer/director Michael McGovern, in which he talks about the ideas behind the film, and with the cast, who discuss their characters. Also includes brief interviews with the producers and some behind-the-scenes footage. In the audio commentary, Michael McGowan gives a scene-by-scene account of editing and narrative decisions, technical details, and a lot about filming. Subtitles for the film are available in English.
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14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
"You're 14 Years Old, Greatness Is Not An Option" ~ "Amazing Things Happen Under A Full Moon", February 11, 2006
The time is the early 1950's, the place a small provincial Irish Catholic community in Eastern Canada. The story revolves around an intense, energetic young boy named Ralph (Adam Butcher). Things are not going well for the fourteen year old, his Father has died, apparently while serving in the military during WWII and his Mother is in the hospital fighting for her life from an unspecified illness. Things couldn't be any worse unless you add to that the fact that he has just started his freshman year in high school at Saint Magnus Parochial School.
When his Mother falls into a coma Ralph comes to the conclusion that the only way to awaken her is to perform a miracle. Recently assigned to the school cross country team by the school principal as punishment for smoking on campus, his choice of miracles takes on the form of a race. The Boston Marathon.
Can a fourteen year old with no running experience win the Boston Marathon? He does have 180 training days before the big race and the help of Father Hibbert (Campbell Scott) the cross country coach and ex-olympic marathon runner. Who knows, "amazing things happen under a full moon."
Delightful film! Adam Butcher is absolutely perfect as Ralph as is Campbell Scott (one of my favorite actors) as Father Hibbert, the dis-illusioned priest who rediscovers his faith and himself while observing the young boys determination to succeed and create his own miracle.
My Highest Recommendation!
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
I Believe in Saint Ralph!, January 19, 2006
Young Adam Butcher is Ralph, an about to be orphaned boy who lost his father in WWII and who's mom is hospital bound in a coma. When told the only chance for recovery is a miracle, Ralph decides to perform one. By training for, and hoping to win, the 1954 Boston Marathon, Ralph believes his mom will be restored.
At 14, Ralph has a few other problems - his hormones are in hyper-drive and finds him getting into a lot of trouble in school and around the community.
Campbell Scott plays Father Hibbert, a youngish priest undergoing his own crisis of faith, but who finds in young Ralph reasons to dare to believe and take a leap of faith.
This is simply a wonderful, touching and often hilarious film that needs to be seen to be appreciated. So see it!
p.
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