Miracle (2004)

Brilliant and touching

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.

There really haven't been a lot of hockey movies made over the years. I can think immediately of "Slap Shot" - which was a comedy and not a serious hockey movie. There was "The Mighty Ducks" - but that was more of a kids movie than anything. And I can remember that the story of the US gold medal win in the 1980 Winter Olympics (the same story told in this movie) was told in 1982's TV movie "Miracle On Ice." There may have been others, but I can't think of them. But however many there may have been I find it hard to believe that they would have been better than this version of the story.It's a hockey movie. From beginning to end it's a hockey movie. On and off the ice, in the dressing room and the board room and in Herb Brooks' home - it's a hockey movie. But it does a truly superb job of blending in what was going on in the world at the time - which is really what made the whole story so dramatic in the first place. The 1970's had been a bad decade for the United States. Watergate and Vietnam and the Arab oil embargo and a sputtering economy. As the decade closed the US Embassy in Iran was seized and American diplomats there were taken hostage and the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan. The Soviet Union seemed to be in the ascendance, and the United States seemed to be in a downward spiral. Who would have thought that hockey - which was really not much more than a niche sport in the US at the time - would be the start of an American resurgence?This movie focuses on Herb Brooks - who was the coach of that US Olympic team. Kurt Russell played the part, and played it well. Brooks had a passion for hockey and for the job of coaching this team. It was a passion that became an obsession, fuelled by the fact that in 1960 (when the US had also won a surprise Olympic hockey gold medal) he had been the last player cut from that team before the Games began. Brooks took on the job and demanded complete control over the program. He drove the players - hard; almost to the breaking point at times. He was their coach and not their friend; he wasn't looking to win popularity contests. It was a fascinating portrayal of the man, who tragically died not long before this film was released. Brooks was the focal point of what was happening. The players, on the other hand, were a team. In the movie, that means that Russell dominates. The actors who played the players kind of fade into the background. Patricia Clarkson does a decent job as Brooks' wife Patti - who sometimes resents her husband's obsession with the job and team and game - and Noah Emmerich is decent enough as assistant coach Craig Patrick - who's often uncomfortable with Brooks' coaching methods - but this is Kurt Russell's movie, and the 1980 US Olympic hockey team was Herb Brooks' team, and Russell pulls it off well.The on-ice action is brilliantly staged and seems absolutely authentic. Even though we know the outcome, the movie did a great job of building up the suspense of that US-Soviet game, as a bunch of American college players take on the mighty and experienced Soviet hockey machine, which was professional in all but name, which had taken 2 of 3 games against a team of NHL All-Stars (blasting the NHL'ers 6-0 in the final game) in a tournament held a few months before the Olympics, and which should have crushed the US team. Like most anything that chronicles the tournament, the movie tends to skip quickly over the fact that the US still had to beat Finland after beating the Soviet Union to win the gold medal. With everything happening in the world at the time, of course, what really mattered was that the United States beat the Soviet Union. There will never be another hockey game like that 1980 game. It's probably matched in drama only by Game 8 of the "Canada-Russia" series of 1972. Hockey is such an international sport now, the best players are all familiar to us because most of them (wherever they're from) play in the NHL, and the top countries are all capable of beating each other on any given night, so this type of upset and drama could probably never be reproduced. I'm not an American, so the patriotic aspect of this film eluded me, but I am (like all good Canadians) a hockey fan - and I have to say that Disney put out one fine hockey movie with "Miracle." (9/10)

Perhaps Al Michaels said it best, while opening the broadcast for the Soviet and USA 1980 Olympic hockey game, "For people who don't know the difference between a blue line and a clothesline, its irrelevant." The movie Miracle is about much more than just a hockey team and its journey to the Olympic games. This is a true story of an inspirational team of twenty college kids who competed in the 1980 Olympics. The coach who brought these guys together and made them a family in such a short amount of time was Herb Brooks. He some how got the team to buy in and believe that they could stand a chance with the immortal Soviet Union at the time. This movie portrays much more than just an underdog sports story. It reveals the difficult times Americans were faced to go through and all the horrifying things that were happening with them during the cold war with Russia. Herb Brooks and his team gave Americans an opportunity to take their mind off the distractions and unite as one to watch the greatest sports moment in history. Miracle is a different underdog story in the fact that during the movie they don't focus on the other team much at all. Along with that is you don't know many of the guys on the USA team. The name of the characters and the small talk scene between the guys is just about all you get for depth of the characters. This movie is about the United States proving that Democracy is superior through a hockey game and understanding the man, Herb Brooks, who played a vital part in it. Herb Brooks, played by Kurt Russell, is the main focus in the film from a character standpoint. Kurt Russell does an amazing job portraying the type of man that Herb was. Kurt was able to provide such insight to Herbs life during the movie because Herb was actually on set to help him get into character. Herb was cut from the 1960 Olympic hockey team a week before the team won the gold medal and he was going to do anything in his power to insure they won it in 1980. He showed this through out the movie by not letting his emotions get in the way. The camera work in this movie is unreal. When you watch the movie it feels like you are out their on the ice with the players. The action scenes flow really well together and are easy to follow what is going on even if you have no background in hockey. The amount of work it must of taken to get each scene perfect is insane. An interesting aspect about Miracle is that when people watch the movie it gives them an indescribable feeling. It is a story that most Americans of 35 years or older are able to recall when and where they were during the time the event happened. I was talking with my teacher one day and asked him about the movie. He said he remembers the exact place he was at and what he was doing when the game was played. Watching the movie brought him back to that moment and it gives him chills every time he watches it. It gives me chills and I didn't even live through it, but it feels like you are when watching the movie. Disney pictures went above and beyond to recreate the greatest moment in sports history and it will leave you grinning from ear to ear.

The movie Miracle is by far one of the greatest sports movies I have seen to this day. I can watch this movie over and over and, even though I already know the outcome of the movie, I am inspired every time I see it. Being based off of a true story, a coach gathers a bunch of young college hockey players and puts together a team to take to the Olympics and face the professional Russian team. Despite the U.S team being young and inexperienced, their coach pushes them to another level allowing them to make a statement in the game. Their coach believes that it is more important for the U.S. Hockey team members to believe in themselves, and believe that as a team they can compete with some of the best hockey players in the world. The coach Herb Brooks (Kurt Russell), a former Olympic hockey player of the 1960 U.S. gold medal team, was cut by his team as a player so he returned to his love of hockey by coming back as a coach. Putting a bunch of young college kids together who were once rivals created a great challenge for everyone because they had to come together as one to take on the so-called, "Invincible Russians". The movie Miracle shows the entire story of the teams' struggles and battles and what they had to overcome to achieve a goal they were all "hungry" for. This game turned into something more than just winning the gold medal, it made a statement during the rough times our country was going through. This game was during the cold war and it provided our country a boost of morale at just the right time when everyone so desperately needed it. The movie Miracle marks an incredible part of our history by showing those who are not even familiar with the sport of hockey the importance of always trying to be the best you can be and always believe that you can do anything. Even though it is a long movie (approximately 135 minutes), it captures all of the great moments of the game; allowing you to understand everything going on and keep you on your toes. By showing all of the hard work and dedication the team has for each other and for others, it is a movie that can relate to anyone who has a background in sports. This movie is very inspiring to anyone who sees it and experiences all of the struggles the Olympic team of college kids go through together. The movie captures all of the dedication of the team members and showcases the incredible amount of conditioning Herb Brooks, their coach, puts them through to excel as hockey players. The coach wants the team to get out of their comfort zone and be the most conditioned team there is in hockey. The coach tells the team "they may beat us 9 out of 10 times, but not tonight," inspiring the team to give it their best effort. An example of this is when they show a scene when his team loses and they stay after their game to do what is now in hockey arenas all across the country as the "Herbys"; skating down the ice, stopping and starting on every line when the whistle is blown. This truly captures a moment when the team finally comes together as one and shows all of their hard work. The acting in this movie is incredible and the great shots they capture are truly amazing. I highly suggest to anyone who loves good, inspirational movies that they see the movie, Miracle. The movie tells a great story and allows it to be understood very easily. It shows the evolution of a young team shown as underdogs come to the ice and make a statement, rather than just playing a game. If you love to watch movies that have a great upset in them and that give you goose bumps from the thrilling action, this is the movie for you. Miracle is still one of the greatest sport movies out there today. It does not really focus just on the sport itself, but rather the hard work and effort it takes to overcome an obstacle and achieve success by believing that you can do anything. With the U.S beating the Russians, they sent a message to everyone that with hard work and a winning attitude, "Miracles" do happen.

Kurt Russell should have an Oscar award nomination for his performance as Coach Herb Brooks, the coach for the American team who would compete against the undefeated Soviet Union whose players were all about winning full-time. Kurt Russell is perfect in this role. He has his mannerisms. The film has casted 20 players mostly college aged students to play the actual roles. Patricia Clarkson is perfect as Patty Brooks, the supportive and understanding wife. Al Michaels plays himself who was there when the team performed a miracle. It's a feel good film overall about overcoming the odds. It's a family too. It's also an educational film as well to teach a lesson about teamwork. There are no profanities or violence in it as well except the hockey scenes on the ice but that comes with the territory. It might be the best hockey film of all time. The job was well-done by being faithful and accurate to the story.