Robert Downey Jr.
has an uncanny talent to dazzle audiences in every role he is positioned in.
His performances very greatly, from a Los Angeles Times columnist in this years heartfelt drama, The Soloist (co-starring a riveting Jamie Foxx, who shows us once again not to judge him by prior choices, i.
e.
Booty Call) to the opposite end of the spectrum as conspiracy theory spouting Barris in Richard Linklater's A Scanner Darkly.
Yet oddly as it may sound, quite possibly even more impressive was Shia LaBeouf as our young leading character Dito Montiel.
Unlike various additional films satisfying Shia's Hollywood résumé, such as this summer's Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (as Robot Chicken stated, Michael Bay knows but one thing: explosions) and Disturbia, Shia actually manages to instill true emotion while taking on Dito.
Another new face in the Hollywood limelight as of late is Fighting star Channing Tatum.
But before there was bare-knuckle street fighter Shawn MacArthur, came Antonio.
If this one particular role represents anything of Tatum's ability, it is that despite recent decisions, he can act.
Dito's father in the picture, Monty Montiel, is instilled with a great amount of passion courtesy of Chazz Palminteri (see: The Usual Suspects and A Bronx Tale).
Palminteri has made his mark in the gangster genre of the film industry, and demonstrates here that he is more than another "wiseguy".
Saints also stars the beautiful and gifted Rosario Dawson (Sin City and 25th Hour, amongst a slew of diverse and incredible films, including the early Light It Up) and plays Dito's love interest.
Eric Roberts (The Dark Knight) also stars in the last few moments as a much older Antonio, and Dianne Wiest (Edward Scissorhands, The Lost Boys) as Dito's mother.
Set in 1986 Astoria, New York, Saints is an emotional coming-of-age journey through the eyes of a young Dito Montiel, author of the autobiographical novel and director of latest blockbuster dud, Fighting.
It begins slow, steadily easing into each characters trials and tribulations until finally escalating to the breaking point.
Dito and his small group of friends hang out on rooftops, in windows and experiment in all the temptations life has to offer.
He surrounds himself with the peculiar, for example, Antonio's mentally unstable brother (Adam Scarimbolo) who at one point can be seen by high school classes walking a nearby rooftop naked.
But then again what fun would "normal" friends be? Eventually, after some altercations with spray-painting thugs the "Reapers", Dito becomes friends with a Scottish exchange student.
Together they come up with a plan to form a band and head west, to the grand city of angels (and lost dreams).
This is a problem, though.
Their dilemma with the Reapers is continuously swelling.
His father is seemingly caring less about his son's opinion and more of Antonio's, Dito finds he is unable to stop the unfortunate events that unfold around him.
The death and destruction of his very existence, his friends and family.
All he wants to do is escape; run.
It becomes difficult to grasp as a true story and that Dito Montiel existed, still standing strong today.
The reunion of Dito and his father at the conclusion of Saints is a battle of artistic brilliance between two worthy contenders, Robert Downey Jr.
and Chazz Palminteri.
You will not walk away unmoved, that is a promise.
A recurring theme in Saints is that of how this close-knit faction can apparently hate one another yet immediately when something occurs, they forget their differences and come to their aid.
In his book, Dito explains more of how he believes he was saved from such horrendous fates, drugs and imprisonment, by his so-called "saints".
Antonio symbolizes what can happen given the right (or wrong) circumstances.
Begin with one part abusive father, a short fuse, lack of emotion and pension for violence, Antonio became Dito's guardian saint.
Mike O' Shea (portrayed on the screen by Martin Compston), the Scottish exchange student who inspired a dream within Dito that soared far beyond the cluttered streets of Astoria.
Laurie (Rosario Dawson/Melonie Diaz) illustrated what love for the very first time can feel like.
They all were his saints, they all sacrificed something for him.
Dito's directing style that brings to mind the 1996 Sleepers (starring Robert De Niro and Brad Pitt) alongside an amazing cast evokes an emotional tornado bringing with it a sense of nostalgia, even for the rest of the population that didn't grow up in Astoria during the 80's.
It's as if you can picture Dito out the corner of your eye, observing these events unfolding that made him who he is and while embracing a content smirk, exclaiming as our grandfathers once did, "Ah, back in the day.
" Saints is a film to be recognized for years to come, and has set the mold for future coming-of-age dramas.
Hopefully there will be more from young actor Shia LaBeouf (whom has come along way since his stint on Disney's Even Stevens) in flicks that do not quite rely so heavily on special effects rather than character development.
has an uncanny talent to dazzle audiences in every role he is positioned in.
His performances very greatly, from a Los Angeles Times columnist in this years heartfelt drama, The Soloist (co-starring a riveting Jamie Foxx, who shows us once again not to judge him by prior choices, i.
e.
Booty Call) to the opposite end of the spectrum as conspiracy theory spouting Barris in Richard Linklater's A Scanner Darkly.
Yet oddly as it may sound, quite possibly even more impressive was Shia LaBeouf as our young leading character Dito Montiel.
Unlike various additional films satisfying Shia's Hollywood résumé, such as this summer's Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (as Robot Chicken stated, Michael Bay knows but one thing: explosions) and Disturbia, Shia actually manages to instill true emotion while taking on Dito.
Another new face in the Hollywood limelight as of late is Fighting star Channing Tatum.
But before there was bare-knuckle street fighter Shawn MacArthur, came Antonio.
If this one particular role represents anything of Tatum's ability, it is that despite recent decisions, he can act.
Dito's father in the picture, Monty Montiel, is instilled with a great amount of passion courtesy of Chazz Palminteri (see: The Usual Suspects and A Bronx Tale).
Palminteri has made his mark in the gangster genre of the film industry, and demonstrates here that he is more than another "wiseguy".
Saints also stars the beautiful and gifted Rosario Dawson (Sin City and 25th Hour, amongst a slew of diverse and incredible films, including the early Light It Up) and plays Dito's love interest.
Eric Roberts (The Dark Knight) also stars in the last few moments as a much older Antonio, and Dianne Wiest (Edward Scissorhands, The Lost Boys) as Dito's mother.
Set in 1986 Astoria, New York, Saints is an emotional coming-of-age journey through the eyes of a young Dito Montiel, author of the autobiographical novel and director of latest blockbuster dud, Fighting.
It begins slow, steadily easing into each characters trials and tribulations until finally escalating to the breaking point.
Dito and his small group of friends hang out on rooftops, in windows and experiment in all the temptations life has to offer.
He surrounds himself with the peculiar, for example, Antonio's mentally unstable brother (Adam Scarimbolo) who at one point can be seen by high school classes walking a nearby rooftop naked.
But then again what fun would "normal" friends be? Eventually, after some altercations with spray-painting thugs the "Reapers", Dito becomes friends with a Scottish exchange student.
Together they come up with a plan to form a band and head west, to the grand city of angels (and lost dreams).
This is a problem, though.
Their dilemma with the Reapers is continuously swelling.
His father is seemingly caring less about his son's opinion and more of Antonio's, Dito finds he is unable to stop the unfortunate events that unfold around him.
The death and destruction of his very existence, his friends and family.
All he wants to do is escape; run.
It becomes difficult to grasp as a true story and that Dito Montiel existed, still standing strong today.
The reunion of Dito and his father at the conclusion of Saints is a battle of artistic brilliance between two worthy contenders, Robert Downey Jr.
and Chazz Palminteri.
You will not walk away unmoved, that is a promise.
A recurring theme in Saints is that of how this close-knit faction can apparently hate one another yet immediately when something occurs, they forget their differences and come to their aid.
In his book, Dito explains more of how he believes he was saved from such horrendous fates, drugs and imprisonment, by his so-called "saints".
Antonio symbolizes what can happen given the right (or wrong) circumstances.
Begin with one part abusive father, a short fuse, lack of emotion and pension for violence, Antonio became Dito's guardian saint.
Mike O' Shea (portrayed on the screen by Martin Compston), the Scottish exchange student who inspired a dream within Dito that soared far beyond the cluttered streets of Astoria.
Laurie (Rosario Dawson/Melonie Diaz) illustrated what love for the very first time can feel like.
They all were his saints, they all sacrificed something for him.
Dito's directing style that brings to mind the 1996 Sleepers (starring Robert De Niro and Brad Pitt) alongside an amazing cast evokes an emotional tornado bringing with it a sense of nostalgia, even for the rest of the population that didn't grow up in Astoria during the 80's.
It's as if you can picture Dito out the corner of your eye, observing these events unfolding that made him who he is and while embracing a content smirk, exclaiming as our grandfathers once did, "Ah, back in the day.
" Saints is a film to be recognized for years to come, and has set the mold for future coming-of-age dramas.
Hopefully there will be more from young actor Shia LaBeouf (whom has come along way since his stint on Disney's Even Stevens) in flicks that do not quite rely so heavily on special effects rather than character development.
Source...