The movie is a coming-of-age drama about a boy growing up in Astoria, N.Y., during the 1980s. As his friends end up dead, on drugs or in prison, he comes to believe he has been saved from their fate by various so-called saints.
Memories flooded through small windows of clarity, but the light fell fast into dark tunnels, conflict and tragedy. And the past was the passenger riding beside me as another station in time came into view. And the train continued on toward my destination, and it's not where I'm going that makes me who I am. It's what lies in-between that truly defines your life.
The old neighborhood looked the same. Streets of youth rose up to greet me, and ghosts of the past chased after my heels. And with every step I take, this place would never change, but everyone else has. "In the end, I left everything and everyone, but no one, no one has ever left me."
The bitter sweetness of life falls from my eyes. Love beats from my heart, but my love would be denied. And these streets grow dark with rage, violence, and there is no end in sight. And if I don't run, if I don't escape now, I may never survive these trials, and the road that I take will lead me to who I will become. And these tears that I still cry are the embrace of time coming to soothe my wounds and mend fences that once fell broken at my feet.
You can never escape your past, and you can never expect your future. And those that touched your life will become your definition. Their lives blend with yours, and the bonds of friendship would stand the test of time. And no matter the wars waged at home, family would still wait for your return, and no matter how blind love may be, it would never die.
He left home a long time ago. The streets of his youth were filled with chaos, and then death drove by, looking to settle a score. And lives were lost, and his life was still on the line. And he had to leave, but would they understand why?
And then the call came. He was needed home, but after all these years, could he come back? And if he came back, would the past be waiting to open that door to a life now written across the page? Would fences broken finally be mended? Would this turning point begin a new chapter in his life, and would his past finally find its peace?
The story of our lives begins in youth, and no matter how far we walk into time, those moments of our life walk with us. And hard choices will be made and never taken back, and we will struggle ahead, never knowing what lies down the road. And we will always look back to remember the ones that touched our lives, filled our soul with inspiration, and gave us the strength to continue on.
And the door to the past swings open, and we are led into the life of Dito Montiel. And through his pen do we witness a dramatic story of one living on the hard streets of Astoria, Queens, and as the camera rolls, we follow his journey from past to future. And with heart and soul do the actors bring characters to life, memories of those carried forever, and the depth of one revealing the fabric of his being, his definition echoes deep through the talented Robert Downey Jr. and Shia Labeouf. And inspiration meets us in the end, and love, friendship touches our heart. And the bitter sweetness of life are the tears that slide down our skin and fall like shooting stars across the night, A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints.
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