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.

Dito: In the end - just like I said - I left everything, and everyone. But no one, no one has ever left me.
Young Dito: My name is Dito... and I'm gonna leave everybody in this film.
Laurie: You want it straight? 'Cause I'm the only fucking one who's gonna tell you for some fucking reason. You killed him. You killed your father when you left. Are you hearing me? You fucking killed him. You left a trail of blood when you left. So forget me, forget all this shit, forget it, alright? You killed your mother, and you killed your father. And for the past fucking 20 years, he's been dying - just waiting for you to come home. Say 'Daddy, you fucked up.' 'Daddy, I fucking hate your guts.' Daddy whatever the fuck you need to get out of your angsty little fucking head...
Dito: Touch my head one more fucking time I'm gonna go nuts...
Laurie: Go ahead, go fucking nuts. Go fucking nuts. Let it out. Stop fucking running away. You think you're a fucking man, that's just a fucking tail between your legs. Go home and take care of your mother. Go home and take care of your father. *That's* going to make you a fucking man. That's all you got left. 'Cause if you don't do that shit, it's too fucking late.
Dito: Did you love me daddy? Lie and say you did, make me feel like the piece of shit I am. Did you love me? Answer me!
Monty: A father always-...
Dito: Not a father, YOU!
Young Antonio: I'm a fucking piece of shit. And that's who I am.
Frank: Listen to Dito. He knows when it's time to go.
Jenny: My name is Jenny and everyone's a fucking joke.
Frank: How loud is this fucking city?
Young Dito: My friend just got fucking shot. You don't know what's happening.
Monty: It's okay. It's okay. I'm your father. I love you. I'm your father.
Young Dito: [crying] When were you ever my father?
Guiseppe: My name is Guiseppe and I'm Antonio's brother.
Young Nerf: Which one of you, which one of you is gonna suck me off first?
[points at each one]
Young Nerf: You? You?
Diane: What you got? You got nothin'!
Young Antonio: [flashes them] How about that?
Jenny: [laughing] No, I like it! It's cute - I like it.
Laurie: [to Dito] You think you're a fuckin' man? That's just a tail between your legs.
Young Dito: Cause me and Mike, we're going to California with our band and shit and I want you to come cause I love you, and the fucking Mets won.
Young Laurie: What? What did you say? You said you loved me.
Young Dito: What?
Young Laurie: You said you loved me right? I'm serious that shit means a lot to me you know?
Young Dito: Yeah I love you, i don't understand, I love you, cause I love you... fucking.
Young Laurie: [laughs] Stupid.
Diane: My name is Diane and I like to fuck.
Young Laurie: I'm Laurie... and everyone is going to leave me. I know they are.
Young Dito: What if I did go? What if I went to Manhattan, or I went somewhere else, like... I don't know.
Monty: Come on Dito, you're not going anywhere, come on.
Guiseppe: [after walking in on Antonio and Jenny having sex] Hell yea - when can I get in on that shit?
Jenny: Fuck off, Guiseppe.
Guiseppe: All I'm sayin' is that if I was an ugly bitch and two hot dudes like us wanted to fuck me, I'd be into it.