10000 Saints

Hailee Steinfeld is very good as Eliza. In her early scenes she starts out as confident, sarcastic and likeable. Then she gets serious, then she is terrified. Eliza goes through many emotions through the course of the movie, and she has many decisions to make about her life.

Teddy is a likable character but we don't get to see much of him. Avian Jogia does a good job.

Les is a cool dad, which means he doesn't always do things the way good parents should. He's not a good influence but he and his son get along really well. It's a fine performance by Ethan Hawke.

Most of the major actors do a good job.

At one point, Eliza moves in with Harriet, which is surprisingly pleasant. Harriet also has a better than expected relationship with Diane, though when they first meet, it is quite satisfying for those who recall how the movie began.

Religion is a topic mentioned several times. Eliza had a bat mitzvah but she and her mother don't seem all that religious. There is a funeral where the scripture reading mentions "10,000 saints". There is also a scene with dancers in beautifully colored costumes where the music seems Middle Eastern or South Asian; Hare Krishnas are mentioned.

There are many questions of morality, and disputes with yuppies who want to move into the rundown neighborhood where most of the characters live. Mostly we see the protesters; if there were yuppies I don't recall them. And there are effective otherworldly scenes where one or more characters used something and we kind of see things as they would have.

Every mention of a word for any drug has been removed in the edited-for-TV version of the movie, with the sound going out and the character's mouth is blurred, and every drug is blurry. The same thing happens with numerous words, some of which might normally be allowed on broadcast TV, but someone must have been overly cautious.

The listings showed this as "comedy, drama, music". I really don't understand this. There are a few funny scenes but comedy shouldn't be listed first.

As for music, there's not much for someone with my musical taste. Most of the music is some form of rock, including softer artists that sound like Sting that don't appeal to me personally. There is also "music" that sounds like 90s grunge except it's just noise and not whatever appealed to those who liked the music in Seattle. My perception is that a lot of the softer music is good quality, but just not what I care for. I liked one song, "I Can't Wait" by Nu Shooz, which isn't typical of my taste but has some sort of appeal for me.

It's a really good movie if it's your taste. It's just not mine.

10,000 Saints is a decent little film that has its moments but is also a little underwhelming at times. The film follows Jude (Asa Butterfield) and Eliza (Hailee Steinfeld), who are step-siblings. Jude was adopted by Eliza's father, Les. After a one-night stand, Eliza finds herself pregnant. Jude and Eliza turn to the lead singer (Emile Hirsch) of a punk-rock band for help. I won't spoil anything else about the film as I feel that there were a few good surprises I didn't see coming. With that said, I will say that this film is a bit of a mixed bag. What worked well was how it illustrates how complicated family relationships can be, especially when the family is a mix of different families. Also, I thought Hailee Steinfeld's performance was terrific. She conveys a wide range of emotions with really adds to Eliza's depth as a character. Also, Eliza is different from a lot of the other characters Hailee has played in the past, and it really shows just how talented she is as an actor. Plus, it was interesting to see her as a teen mom.

With that said, there are also a few cons. For one, the main character was a little dry. I would've liked to see him show more emotion and to have his character have a little clearer character arc. Also, there are a lot of storylines that never really go anywhere or are just underdeveloped. For example, there is Jude being adopted, and him never looking for his parents, despite Les letting him know they are somewhere in New York. The film is a slew of other stories, which really makes it seem that this movie had more ideas than it had time. Lastly, the film is supposedly set in late-1980s New York, but I didn't know that until after I watched it and read the other reviews. All in all, it was a good film. It just could have used a few tune-ups.

Another movie that makes you think humanity has no hope. Broken kids, broken parents, broken ideals. The movie takes place in the eighties and I remember the time well. So, yes, a lot of us were screwed up but this is just hopelessness incarnate. I did not like any of the characters as dysfunction seemed to be the running theme with everyone. I would suggest finding a better coming of age movie to watch as there are many good ones out there. I gave this an extra star for the very brief inclusion of CBGB's, it was the highlight of the movie. The rest was just so depressing it made me want to embrace traditional conservative values for the sake of humanity. Maybe I am getting wiser in my old age. . who knows?

Reviewers keep complaining about the drug use, sex, and irresponsible parents. Umm, that HAPPENS. In real life. More than you realize. I found the acting very well done, yet, the characters, or writing, was... uneven. On one hand, neither the characters nor the plot goes in any direction you think it is going, which most viewers tend to love. However, the setups, swerves and everything we learn is all for nothing, since.. neither the characters nor the plot goes in any direction even hinted at. Characters can spend the first 2/3 of the film complaining about the same thing (adults pushing what they want instead of what the teen wants), make multiple huge dramatic deals about it, then inexplicably change mind to agree with them, from no motivation whatsoever. There are also a couple subtle hints concerning one particular relationship, but everything else heard and done contradicts what happens or what we assume is happening. I really liked most of this film, and WANTED to like the rest but maybe it tried too hard to defy our expectations without earning it or trying. {It would be like watching a film about an interesting Christian Kansas farmer who takes classes in law school then decides to become an Atheist surfer with no reason for any of those out of nowhere decisions other than "just because the character decides to out of the blue".} Instead of "surprising" by being different, it was confusingly frustrating to watch this pointless journey. Still not sure if that's a good thing or bad thing in this mostly unoriginal Hollywood blockbuster era.

"The women? They make their decisions and men? We just do our best not to be men. The whole system needs a looking over."

I don't know how I missed this film in 2015, but I am happy that I've finally come across it. Better late than never.

As a film, it's really well-done. It's shot beautifully and the acting is very good. But, come on! Look at the talent they got for this: Ethan Hawke, Emily Mortimer, Hailee Steinfeld, Asa Butterfield, Julianne Nicholson... It's a great cast, and they do a great job here.

The terrain traveled by this story is nothing new, but the fact that all of these people seem so devoted to the telling of it that it makes it special and new. It's an incredibly realistic exploration of young adults and older(ish) adults trying to navigate the consequences of past actions and create a better future for those little people who they will bring into this world.