Personal Favorites
I’ll admit it, I occasionally rent movies based on the actors, without even knowing the plot. However, after far too many cheesy flicks, and poorly put together drama’s I had learned my lesson. Or so I thought. This movie caught my eye, because of the actors involved, and also because I had never heard of it, and as a movie buff, I figured that a flaw. It’s called “A Guide To Recognizing Your Saints,” staring Shia Labeof, and Robert Downey Junior. This harsh drama, based on Ditto Montiel’s real life experiences, shocked me. AGTRYS, is the true story of how Ditto, beat the odds and worked his way out of a bad neighborhood and into a better life. I know what your thinking, been there, seen that, but I assure you this movie is different. While other films may choose to concentrate on the against all odds point of view, AGTRYS focuses in on a group of teenagers, just barely getting by. Done in two time frames, now and then, it shows not just what Ditto had to do to be somebody, but what others tried to do to make it, and ultimately failed along the way. It is a hrash reality check, there is no happy ending for these kids, who are guilty of nothing more than circumstance, instead there is death, drugs, and children. But as you follow these stories, you hear all the kids speak about abuse and tormente, shame and insecurities. The point being they catch your interest, and do what most films are failing to, make you care what happens. Aside from the constant profanity, which at times takes away from the plot, AGTRYS, proves that not every ending is happy, making it one of my top ten favorites of all time.
Ross Miller said
December 18 2007 @ 1:23 am
Wow. It is one of your top ten films of all time after just seeing it for the first time?
Madeleine said
December 18 2007 @ 2:23 pm
If you know a movie is truly worth while, all it takes is one viewing to be blown away. So yes I may have only seen it once, but that was all it took for me to be truly astounded, has that never happened to you before, I’d be surprised.
Marina said
December 18 2007 @ 2:24 pm
And I wasn’t a huge fan of the film. Love the performances but this “real life story” didn’t, surprisingly, feel real to me.
Madeleine said
December 18 2007 @ 2:30 pm
I suppose Marina, that its maybe just based on a persons position in life, perhaps you see it differently than I do. I felt that its brutality was a little surreal, but I found it easy to believe that that life exists.
Ross Miller said
December 19 2007 @ 1:40 am
Yeah I have been blown away by a film upon first viewing but rarely has it been a favourite straight away (there are exceptions though).
Dave Becker said
December 19 2007 @ 4:20 pm
Having a film enter my top-10 on first viewing is certainly rare, but it has happened to me on two occasions: The first was when I saw CHUNGKING EXPRESS, and the next time was my first viewing of ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST. Other than that, it usually takes some time for a film to work its way onto the list.
Madeleine said
December 19 2007 @ 5:33 pm
I completely agree, normally i can’t be won over quite so easy, this was just one of those movies, where is was left in awe.