The Patron Saint of Liars

Well, it's a typical, melodramatic chick-flick with overdone performances, the film does have a good cast with Dana Delany, Marisa Ribisi, Ellen Burstyn, and Clancy Brown. Stephen Gyllenhaal's direction isn't bad since he does offer some excellent scenery and poignant moments in the film.

Fans of Maggie though will see her in the 2nd half of the film as a friend of Delany's daughter for about 5-7 minutes in a standout performance as a pregnant teen with multiple ear piercings and bad light blonde dye hair. It's a good film about a woman questioning her Catholic faith while living in a Catholic retreat home for pregnant women while looking for love and understanding.

This film isn't as useless as many of the reviewers here are writing, in my opinion. I enjoyed it, and I especially fell in love with Clancy Brown's character. He was patient, understanding, loyal, and loving.... he was SO good and believable in this role, it's the one I think of him in the most often now. I believe Clancy is more like this character than any of the others he's played.

No, they didn't explain the lead character's issues or motivations very well, but aren't many people intriguing and inexplicable in some (or many) ways? I think you can enjoy this film if you also pay special attention to the stories and characters around her. Ellen Burstyn is always a first-class actor. All of the supporting cast and characters are rich, interesting, and easy to understand. I enjoyed the movie and I'll watch it again, I'm sure, when I have an opportunity.

Clancy Brown was WONDERFUL. I wanted to marry him myself!

Another voice added to the comment choir. This is a pretty awful movie that allows one to wander the house, do laundry, read a book (even the book upon which the movie is based) and still be bored with it (the movie that is). Add my vote to those who hated the lead character. She isn't presented as a patron saint but more of an excellent liar and fairly worthless character. People like Rose may have a few screws loose or lost but whatever the reason for her behavior, I can't work up the empathy to care. Gist of review: Sticking with this movie is like watching the wrong shade of paint dry on your walls so you can finally repaint with a better color. Fortunately, viewers can avoid the wait by just changing the channel.

Two hours of my life, thrown away!

The story of a coward who broke hearts! Nothing to learn from this drivel, no moral of the story, just two hours of blahhh.

Confused.....purchased this film as a Dana Delany fan and by the end I had no idea why or what was motivating this film?! I was enjoying the story and characters until I realized there was no explanation for this woman's actions or development to the back story of any of the characters!

Frustrating to the point of purchasing the book, to try and gain some clarity of the characters motivations.

Delany was enjoyable however her character was unlikeable and the film left me needing a part 2...no real conclusion or explanation :/

I recommend maybe reading the novel first....I think coming into it some knowledge of a back story and character development will make it a bit more enjoyable!