"Miracle" ** PG, 135 m Starring Kurt Russell, Eddie Cahill, Noah Emmerich and Patricia Clarkson. Directed by Gavin O'Conner. Opens tomorrow.
At the close of the 1970s, the Cold War raged as the USSR reached the pinnacle of its military power, while half a world away, young American teenagers discovered the joys of Atari. The threat of Soviet domination became increasingly present and the United States searched frantically for some bragging rights in the form of, well, a miracle. What can they turn to for such a hope? After they tried acid-washed jeans, hockey came in at a close second.
Gavin O'Conner's latest film "Miracle" inspires patriotism in this way whether you like it or not. Set at the 1980 Winter Olympic Games in Lake Placid, N.Y., the film documents the true story of how one unlikely gang of youngsters come together to remind the world why America is undoubtedly number one. Under the tutelage of real-life hockey legend and coach Herb Brooks (Kurt Russell), the U.S. Olympic hockey team - a club that had failed to win a gold medal in decades - managed to over-come unspeakable odds to defeat the number one Soviet team.
Sentimentality works hard in "Miracle" and surges through the audience. The best part is that you don't have to play the game to appreciate the story or its context, and the fact that everyone knows the ending doesn't spoil the fun. Anyone over the age of 30 will love to reminisce about it, and anyone younger will love to hear of a real-life fairy tale that took place right here in the good old U.S.A.
Chemistry is undoubtedly the glue that holds "Miracle" and the team together. Brotherhood, in all its fast-skating, puck-slapping glory rings true as a major theme through out the film.
"We're a family," claims Jack O'Callahan (Michael Mantenuto) when speaking to Brooks. In fact, several familiar relationships of humor and pain develop to earn "Miracle" its title as a "feel-good movie." Brooks' constant bantering with his wife and his assistant coach is entertaining and provides good comic relief, and the players set aside their obvious differences to do the impossible as one.
Though the movie as a team wins, its parts lose individually. Screenwriter Eric Guggenheim fails to develop enough of the players, their stories, where they came from and why they need to win. Some players' pasts are hinted at with subtle references but most remain simple hockey-playing machines. The biggest factor contributing to the players' anonymity is the lack of recognizable faces cast as each of the characters. Perhaps this is best, considering the situation. If someone like Joshua Jackson was cast as a 1980 U.S. hockey team player, something wouldn't quite fit. Yes, we must not forget that "Miracle" is not "The Mighty Ducks 4." This story actually happened and therefore the director is bound by the greatness of the achievement itself to be historically accurate.
The film is so accurate that even Russell is turning over a new leaf. His preparation for the role as Herb Brooks was so thorough that he sports a flawless Minnesota accent that he waxes throughout the movie. His drill instructor antics and witty demeanor will have audiences believing that Russell is the genuine article. Move over Emilio Estevez, 'cause there's a new Minnesota Miracle Man and his name is Herb Brooks.
