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Saint Ralph (2005)
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Reviews Counted:67
Fresh:42
Rotten:25
Average Rating:6.3/10
Consensus: Saint Ralph is an amiable tear-jerker that walks a fine line between being inspirational and being hokum.
Rated: PG-13 [See Full Rating] for some sexual content and partial nudity.
Runtime: 1 hr 38 mins
Genre: Dramas
Theatrical Release:Aug 5, 2005 Limited
Box Office: $656,185
Synopsis: A charming Canadian import by director Michael McGowan (MY DOG VINCENT), the 1950s period comedy SAINT RALPH follows earnest Catholic schoolboy Ralph (Adam Butcher) as he struggles with his teenage... A charming Canadian import by director Michael McGowan (MY DOG VINCENT), the 1950s period comedy SAINT RALPH follows earnest Catholic schoolboy Ralph (Adam Butcher) as he struggles with his teenage hormones, challenges priestly authority, and tries to achieve a miracle by winning the Boston Marathon. Facing orphanhood after his father is killed in WWII and his mother falls into a coma caused by terminal cancer, Ralph, with the help of his friend Chester, carries on life as usual by pretending that he lives with his grandparents. He regularly visits his mother in the hospital and creates a special friendship with one of her nurses (Jennifer Tilly). He tries to date an evasive classmate intent on becoming a nun, and generally causes havoc with his school priests (Campbell Scott, Gordon Pinsent). However, when Ralph comes to believe that winning the Boston Marathon would constitute a miracle that might save his mother's life, nothing can stop him. Reminiscent of inspiring stories like BILLY ELLIOTT and WHALE RIDER, SAINT RALPH pokes gentle fun at strict Catholic school rules and provides a young hero for all generations. Underscoring the script's emotion is the score by Andrew Lockington, which features a moving version of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah." Embracing faith, religion, and humanity, SAINT RALPH is a classic family film. [More]
Starring: Adam Butcher, Campbell Scott, Jennifer Tilly, Gordon Pinsent
Starring: Adam Butcher, Campbell Scott, Jennifer Tilly, Gordon Pinsent, Tamara Hope, Shauna MacDonald
Director: Michael McGowan
Director: Michael McGowan
Screenwriter: Michael McGowan
Producer: Teza Lawrence, Michael Souther, Seaton McLean
Studio: IDP Distribution
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Reviews for Saint Ralph
What writer-director Michael McGowan has pulled off is a bit of a miracle.
For the jaded moviegoer, here's a little film that just might restore your faith -- in movies and a whole lot more.
A likable little underdog-triumphs drama from Canada... This is a case where my idealistic side won out over my cynical side.
Butcher carries the film well, interpreting Ralph as a tangle of mixed-up yearnings tempered with an indomitable drive.
The comic aspects of this comedy-drama are overly broad and forced, while the supposedly dramatic ones are cloying and treacly.
This wincingly earnest comedy-drama could rival the maple tree as Canada's leading producer of sap.
A hooey-slathered film that combines the Catholic school humor of 'Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up?' with the rah-rah uplift of an underdog sports story.
An overly convenient plot is the main con in Ralph, which includes a devastating fire, an assist from a celebrity and at least one miracle, all of which show up exactly when the plot needs help moving forward.
Canadian writer-director Michael McGowan has packed it so full of earnestness that viewers end up jogging along.
Ralph may be more a sinner than a saint, and his movie may be a little cheesy, but who cares - I thoroughly enjoyed following him on his quest.
...a small, straightforward story that has its heart in the right place, even if its hokey sentimentality keeps it from reaching the finish line.
The movie rests on (Adam) Butcher, and the actor proves to be a well-rounded smart aleck in the making.
If McGowan pushes the religious themes too hard, his greatest sin is that he leads you to believe that the story is true.
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 15% 15% | The Ugly Truth |
| 98% 98% | Up |
| 36% 36% | G.I. Joe: The Rise of … |
| 52% 52% | The Taking of Pelham 1… |
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| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 36% 36% | Angels & Demons |
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| 25% 25% | Four Christmases |
| 45% 45% | Shorts |
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