I’ve mentioned in the past how I live with this strange dichotomy… I abhor watching sports but love watching sports movies. I’ve never understood it, and I never will. Oh well, it makes my wife happy that she doesn’t lose me to Monday Night Football (they still have that don’t they?). It is in this spirit that I heartily recommend Disney’s “Miracle.” Yes, it’s about a hockey team and yes you know the outcome, but you knew how Titanic ended and still enjoyed it, right? “Miracle” is the story behind what is considered to be one of the greatest moments in sports history, or at least hockey history, which was the 1980 United States hockey team’s Olympic triumph over the Soviet Union. Kurt Russell stars as Herb Brooks, the genius of a coach that took a bunch of undisciplined players and turned them into a force to be reckoned with. No one believed they could possibly beat the Soviets, but Brooks believed in the impossible.

I especially love these kinds of sports movies when they are true stories. Its one thing to write a good screenplay about a bunch of underdogs and have them beat impossible odds to come out on top, but when you take a true life event of those who have actually done it, it’s all the more exhilarating and exciting to watch. “Miracle” is without a doubt exhilarating movie that despite some of its intentional sappiness never panders to it. You never get the feeling that you are watching a bunch of actors out there playing the game. In every scene, these guys seem like the real thing. Of course this is in part due to the fact that they are the real thing as almost the entire team is made up of real players who have been taught the fine art of acting. And they totally sell the film.

I don’t remember hearing much about “Miracle” when it was released in theatres and that’s a shame. It’s a terrific family movie that captures the idea that you can accomplish anything you put your mind to. You may get beat, you may lose a few, but the idea of never giving up is one that should be instilled in everyone, young and old. We all have dreams, yet most of us spend our time living in silent desperation and put those dreams away. Movies like this help you to remember to take those dreams back out and go after them with everything you’ve got. What have you got to lose?

I was glad, especially after watching “Miracle”, to see that Disney believed enough in this film to give it a solid 2-disc DVD release. Aside from having the film itself, they went to the trouble to create a bunch of extra features which only enhance the movie and its message. The commentary by director Gavin O’Connor, editor John Gilroy, and director of photography Daniel Stoloff is a very informative one. These guys did their homework about subject matter and it shows. The first disc also has a really good ‘Making of’ featurette that is just long enough to fill us in with the basics of how the film came together.

The second disc has some fine featurettes that delve deeper into the subject matter at hand. “First Impressions” gives you an inside look at a lot of the real Brooks’ coaching methods, while “From Hockey to Hollywood” touches heavily on the matter of using real hockey players in the film. ‘The Miracle ESPN Roundtable” teams Russell up with some of the real members of the 1980 team represented in the movie as they look back on the career of Brooks. Then we have a look (or listen) to how the sounds were created in the movie to make the hockey game that much more real to audiences. Finally, there are a few outtakes, which are always a welcome addition to any DVD release.

There are some who might call “Miracle” predictable, but they are uneducated dolts who seem to confuse history with predictability (I think I remember these same folks complaining because they saw “The Alamo” and claimed they could figure out how it ended… sheesh…) “Miracle” is in reality, a seriously overlooked film that gets a high recommendation from me.

Directed by: Gavin O’Connor
Starring: Kurt Russell, Patricia Clarkson, Noah Emmerich
Extras: The Making of Miracle, Audio Commentary by Director Gavin O’Connor, Editor John Gilroy, and Director of Photography Daniel Stoloff, “First Impressions: Brooks with Kurt Russell and the Filmmakers, Outtakes, “From Hockey to Hollywood: The Actor’s Journey”, Miracle ESPN Roundtable with Linda Cohn as Seen On ESPN Classic, “The Sound of Miracle
Specifications: Widescreen (2.35:1) Enhanced for 16X9 Televisions, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound
Studio: Disney
Release Date: 5/18/2004
Region 1
MPAA Rating: PG (For Language and Some Sports Action)
Website

We'll give Miracle an A.