Just when I thought I had gotten all crusty with cynicism-the fate of many a former Catholic schoolkid-along comes "Saint Ralph," a Canadian comedy about a pubescent Catholic schoolboy staking all he has on a footrace and a miracle.

Few films are sweet and earnest without being sappy, and this is one of them. Ralph (Adam Butcher) is a 14-year-old kid with the sophistication to charm adults but a social ineptness with his peers. Not only does he have to navigate the straight and narrow Catholic line (which is already fraught with the dangers of sexual awakening and venial sins at every turn), but through a curious twist of religious logic, he decides to run the Boston Marathon in pursuit of the miracle that will bring his mother out of her coma. This, of course, is to the chagrin of Father Fitzpatrick (Gordon Pinsent), the school head.

Butcher has the kind of face that emotions love to play on; he can move from sweet and charming to nervous and awkward in the blink of an eye, and he carries this film from beginning to end effortlessly. Campbell Scott, recently of "The Secret Lives of Dentists," plays Ralph's coach Father Hibbert with a quiet sort of intensity that amplifies his own story without eclipsing the main plot. Although the logic behind Father Fitzpatrick's opposition to Ralph's ambitions is rather nebulous, the film thankfully skips any in depth explanation. Who cares? By the middle of the story you're already rooting for Ralph, and with that kind of emotional investment, you can forgive the occasional corny and clichéd moment that comes along with most coming of age movies.

The 1950s atmosphere, along with Ralph's naiveté, contributes to the innocent feel of the film, which in turn makes the occasional naughty humor even funnier. Ralph's concept of God is a cross between his deceased father and Santa Claus, and his unwavering belief in the miracle that will save his mother makes even the priests at school reconsider their idea of faith. It's an idealistic snapshot of Catholicism that is rare these days. Rated PG-13