TheFinalSprint.com - Track & Field, Marathons, Racing News, Training Advice, Elite Athlete Blogs, Interviews, Podcasts, Videos and More! - TheFinalSprint.com is the Premier Destination for Track & Field, Marathon, Cross Country, Olympic and Road Racing Enthusiasts.

In memory of Adam Jacobs, support the Challenged Athletes Foundation

In memory of Adam Jacobs, founder of The Final Sprint, please donate so that someone with dreams as big as Adam can reach their goals too.

“Saint Ralph” - An inspirational movie about running and the power of one

Posted November 7th, 2006 at 10:00 AM by Afton Cohen

Section: Motivation, Movies, TFS Reviews

Saint Ralph.jpg Saint Ralph is a tale of a young boy’s dream to bring his mother out of a coma by winning the Boston Marathon. it is a movie that will appeal to runners, families and anyone who can appreciate a solid motivational flick. A Canadian comedy/drama, Saint Ralph is unfortunately often overlooked and somewhat unknown to the masses. It’s a real shame that so many people are missing out because Saint Ralph is truly an inspiring, heartfelt and exciting story.

The film opens as we are introduced to Ralph Walker, the film’s main character, who is played by newcomer Adam Butcher. Butcher plays the misguided 14-year-old boy whose father has died at war and whose mother soon falls into a coma. Ralph is comical, pubescent, and undeniably charming. He comes to us as independent and quite beyond his years, but at the same time, quite immature and boyish. He resides alone in his parents’ house (A fact that remains unknown to his teachers and classmates for a majority of the film) and defiantly smokes cigarettes at school. As a disciplinary measure, Ralph is forced to join the cross country team in order to keep him out of trouble.

When he is told that only a miracle can save his mother’s life and that if he won the Boston Marathon it would be “a miracle”, Ralph begins training to win the world-famous race. Everyone believes that Ralph’s endeavor is absurd until Father Hibbert observes Ralph’s dedication in training for and eventually winning a local race. Hibbert begins to believe in Ralph - and so will you.

We then follow Ralph on his quest through training; suffering and battling along with the boy turned driven young man. The scenes then begin to alternate between his training and those of his experiences at his mother’s bedside in the hospital. Butcher is brilliant in his portrayal of both the striving athlete and the son desperate for his mother’s recovery.

Saint Ralph hospital mother Boston marathon running movie As the title of the film portrays, Ralph is on some level trying to achieve sainthood, for he understands saints as those who can perform miracles. Ralph begins to draw a significant amount of attention; helping him to spark a romantic relationship with a young lady and also causing an uproar from the school’s headmaster. Ralph’s journey is then divided into month-long stages; each representing a different patron saint. I found this inclusion to be quite artistic and creative. Ralph’s personal drive and the spirit of those around him (especially Father Hibbert) contribute to his emotional, physical, mental and spiritual development. His journey is well portrayed, appealing and awe-inspiring.

Ok, Ok . . . I know want you want to hear how it ends . . . but I’m not going to give away the ending. However, I do promise you that you won’t be disappointed!

Ralph persistently keeps himself focused on his goal; developing an impressive athleticism and convincingly depicting the ultimate “I can accomplish anything I put my mind to” attitude. The entire emotional journey and conclusion of the film will resonate with any audience - especially those who have trained for and/or ran a marathon. It is a film that will make you laugh, bring you to tears and make you jump up-and-down wit excitement!

Whether you want watch it the night before a big race, at a time when you need a little “pick-me-up” or just want to enjoy a good movie for the entire family - I highly recommend Saint Ralph.