Christian Science Monitor by David Sterritt

This deliciously offbeat Canadian comedy gets its charm from marvelous acting and from a screenplay bursting with ideas. Great fun.

USA Today by Claudia Puig

The kind of well-acted, genuine heartwarmer that some people complain Hollywood doesn't bother making anymore. And in this case, Hollywood didn't.

New York Post by Kyle Smith

All of this is punctuated with refreshingly strange wit.

Portland Oregonian by M. E. Russell

Wants to be a sex farce, a sports film and a serious meditation on Catholicism. To its credit, it succeeds as all three.

Variety by Joe Leydon

Even though it sprints along a well-trod path through familiar territory, Saint Ralph remains surprisingly compelling.

Film Threat by Stina Chyn

McGowan’s film isn’t just about following this boy’s private quest to accomplish the impossible. It is also about how he affects the other characters in the film.

The Hollywood Reporter by Michael Rechtshaffen

A tart and tender comedy that pulls off a little miracle of its own by being genuinely heartwarming without leaving any cloyingly sticky emotional residue.

Charlotte Observer by Lawrence Toppman

Tthe kind of movie the clergy can recommend to anxious parishioners.

Boston Globe by Wesley Morris

As predictably uplifting movies go, Saint Ralph isn't completely charmless.

Los Angeles Times by Kenneth Turan

Though Butcher is appealing, Saint Ralph is anchored by Scott's persuasive work as a model of intelligent decency.

Dallas Observer by Bill Gallo

Little Ralph comes off like "Billy Elliot" on steroids. Still, this an energetic movie that can be truly hilarious in spots, and it captures perfectly the oppressive atmosphere of a Catholic boys' school in the ’50s.

Entertainment Weekly

At first, Ralph and the movie have moxie -- the kid even gets busted for pleasuring himself in the public pool. Then Ralph starts asking us to take this cornball mission seriously.

Village Voice by Ed Park

The most blatant rip-off is of the "Rushmore" soundtrack. But Ralph Walker is no Max Fischer, and his monomania gets dull fast.

The A.V. Club by Keith Phipps

Scott can invest just about any scene with heft and intelligence, but neither the material nor his co-star give him much help.

The New York Times by Stephen Holden

This crude, inspirational tear-jerker is as sweet as a bowl of instant oatmeal smothered in molasses. It should please those who honestly believe that Santa Claus and God are synonymous; others may retch.

L.A. Weekly by Scott Foundas

In fairness, the movie isn't the absolute worst of its kind and there's a certain charm to Butcher's amiable, puppy-eyed performance. But Michael McGowan's direction is as flat as an asphalt road, and his script is gasping for air long before it enters the final stretch.