In this Danny Boyle film, young Damian has taken to studying the saints, searching for a way to reach his recently deceased mother Maureen. One day while “visiting with” St. Clare of Assissi, a suitcase full with 265,000£ falls from the sky right next to him. Coincidentally, Great Britain is converting to the euro in a week—something needs to be done with the money soon. Philanthropic Damian shows the stash to his older brother Anthony who immediately starts planning investments, with a particular interest in acquiring real estate. The complexity of human tendencies is explored with additional perspectives, including their father Ronnie’s sense of entitlement and the cheerful detachment of the local police.

Throughout the film, Damian’s interactions with the saints reveal that his scope of imagination exceeds his faith. While visiting Damian, St. Peter provides a rational explanation for the miracle of feeding the 5000. In his recounting, people actually had hidden food that they added to the baskets as they were passed. The “miracle” is that people shared. While speaking to a martyred saint from Uganda, the saint notes that 100£ would finance a new well for his community.

When Damian discovers that the money is stolen, he concludes it is not from God because God does not rob banks. The only faith required for this statement is belief in God's existence—nothing is required of God Himself.

Where could Damian learn of faith? The local, ostensibly ascetic Latter Day Saints go on a self-serving shopping spree after Damian and St. Nicholas stuff their mail slot with money. Damian attends a school named “All Saints,” but encounters there a teacher disinterested (at best) when Damian begins describing saints’ lives and deaths. And though it is unclear whether his family shares a history of faith, his father does tell him that death is final, and that none of them will see his mother again.

At the conclusion, Damian encounters his mother's spirit who, predictably, reminds him that “Money makes it hard to see what’s what.” Given that his mother then reminds Damian that his pragmatic brother Anthony will need him because of their different perspectives, her lesson serves as more than a commentary on the love of money. It is also a reminder that he is to have faith in people—he himself will be a help to his brother, and he has already served as the “miracle” which has granted his mother sainthood.

In the end, our response to the movie’s tag line “you can change the world” may depend on whether we can look beyond ourselves and other people to see what’s what. Unfortunately for Damian, his vision extends no further than his childish imagination can reach. His saints keep him looking to those around him rather than to an awesome and mysterious God who just might call him to something beyond that which he can explain away.