THE MIRACLE CLUB – A Review by John Strange
What I love most about Sony Pictures Classics are the films that bring us views of the world outside of the usual studio blockbusters and independently made documentaries. Don’t get me wrong, those films are good as well, but these are small gems. Some of those gems may be occluded or cloudy, but all are worth the time we spend with them.
The Miracle Club is an excellent example of one of these gems.
Set in Dublin in 1967, we are introduced to the lives of families living in a small Catholic neighborhood where life goes on, revolving around the church. One of the elder ladies has died, causing her estranged daughter to return to the neighborhood after 40 years.
The central plot of the film has a group of three ladies, two elder and one younger, who compete in a church talent show for the chance to win tickets to go to Our Lady of Lourdes in France where they might experience a miracle in the baths.
The trip causes a lot of panic among the men who don’t want their women (aka house servants, typical of the era) to leave them for several days. The ladies stick to their guns and get on the bus.
There are indeed miracles in this film, if not the ones the ladies hope for. The casting of Maggie Smith, Kathy Bates, Agnes O’Casey, and Laura Linney as the ladies who make the trip is spot-on perfect. I expected and received spotless performances from Maggie Smith, Kathy Bates, and Laura Linney. I did not know Agnes O’Casey, but her performance was on par with her co-stars, spotless perfection.
The men, spearheaded b the outstanding Stephen Rea, played their parts as Irish husbands of the mid-1960s, very well. And speaking of men, the young boy, Eric D. Smith, did a superb job in his role as Daniel, the non-verbal son of Dolly.
We are shown the pain and love that went to the very core of their lives. And the miracles that can happen when hearts and minds are opened. And it made me feel… wonderful. Maybe not a miracle, but certainly a good thing to feel.
Director: Thaddeus O’Sullivan
Cast: Maggie Smith, Kathy Bates, Agnes O’Casey, Laura Linney, Stephen Rea
MPAA Rating: PG-13 (for thematic elements and some language)
Selig Rating: 5 Stars
Runtime: 91 Min.
Release Date: 07/14/2023
Local Release Locations: AMC Village on The Parkway 9 (Addison), Angelika Film Center & Café – Dallas, AMC Northpark 15 (Dallas), AMC Stonebriar 24 (Frisco), Firewheel 18 (Garland), AMC Grapevine Mills 30 (Grapevine), Angelika Film Center & Café – Plano
Language: English
Movie Site: THE MIRACLE CLUB Official Site
Trailer: THE MIRACLE CLUB Trailer
The Selig Rating Scale:
5 Stars – Excellent movie/show, well worth the time and price.
4 Stars – Good movie/show
3 Stars – OK movie/show
2 Stars – Well, there was nothing else…
1 Star – Total waste of time.
