The Miracle Club – Solid Counterprogramming

In every summer movie season, after the cavalcade of big budget blockbusters, some audiences prefer to seek out lighter fare and there’s nothing wrong with that. The Miracle Club may not boast the same bells and whistles of the other, bigger summer film offerings but in spite of all of that, delivers solid counterprogramming that is definitely cute. However, it also brings absolutely nothing new to the table. A watch that will get audiences in and then out the door in less than 90 minutes, it will do the trick though short running times can effect films both negatively as much as they do positively. There’s not much depth to be had here and that ultimately holds it back from coming together in enough of a satisfying way. That being said, its performances go a long way in at least making it into a watchable product. Laura Linney, Kathy Bates, and Maggie Smith give the film credibility with their presence as they work great together and pull out more than what was arguably in the script. In the end, one can’t help but want more yet this kind of film was never going to be for everyone to begin with.

The Miracle Club takes place in 1960 within the picturesque city of Ballyfermot, Ireland that fought to make the most our of what they had. Rooted in faith and togetherness, the tight-knit community were loyal to one another and very much had a small town feel to it which was easy to connect with. Every day was a struggle but regardless of their circumstances, they remained aspirational for the chance to rise above it all. For women, that dream was especially more difficult. Fortunately, they would get that chance through a contest to win a trip to Lourdes, France, a spiritual town known for its history of miracles. Eileen (Bates), Lily (Smith), and Dolly (Agnes O’Casey) were a trio of friends who were part of a lucky few to win that trip of a lifetime. Having never left their hometown, they relished their independence but in reality, their role was to ensure that they and the others participating in the trip, take advantage of the town’s healing waters. As they sought their own miracles, their time away also allowed them the opportunity to reflect on their own lives.

The return of Chrissie (Linney), a woman exiled from Ballyfermot several decades earlier, following the death of her mother and Eileen and Lily’s close friend, opened up some old wounds as some harsh truths came to the surface. Those moments of introspection brought forth some compelling moments as each saw their own faith challenged. Meanwhile, Chrissie joined the trip to Lourdes as a means to be closer to her mother, who also dreamed of visiting Lourdes, and to repair her relationship with Eileen and Lily as she looked for closure though that went both ways as far as Eileen and Lily were concerned. Unpacking their complicated history in the midst of everything else didn’t necessarily work as seamlessly as it could have as those themes and threads often clashed with one another. Packing in plenty of wholesomeness as well as drama, it felt like watching two different films at times. While the final outcome of the story is predictable, some strong emotion still shines through. However, more character development would have better supported those emotional story beats. The clashing plot and the rushed nature of the three main character arcs made took away from the impact of the story.

The saving grace of The Miracle Club was its performances. There wasn’t much there with regard to the script but Linney, Bates, and Smith, each reached deep made it work with their presence and chemistry alone. They were fun to watch as Chrissy, Eileen, and Lily while getting to show off some range. Out of the three, Smith was easily the best as she stole a lot of scenes with her many sharp line deliveries in ways that only she could.

At the end of the day, the parts of The Miracle Club work better than their sum. While solid counterprogramming, its only appeal will likely be for fans of its three main actresses. Otherwise, there’s not much else to be had.

still courtesy of levelFilm

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.