The Miracle Club

The Miracle Club
Starring Laura Linney, Kathy Bates, Maggie Smith, Agnes O'Casey
Directed by Thaddeus O'Sullivan

There's two places that feature pilgrimages by Catholics all over the world due to the miraculous appearances of the Virgin Mary, and that's Fatima in Portugal and Lourdes in France. Both places claim to exhibit healing abilities and the devout gather at both places in hopes of seeing their own miracle. Sadly it doesn't happen for everyone, and it all seemingly comes down to a matter of faith. Still, given a slight chance to fix something wrong with you, won't you go to any lengths necessary? What if the miracle you're looking for isn't the miracle you need? For four women that's the question as they embark on a journey to Lourdes and in the process find their own little miracles along the way.

In a small Irish town in 1967, friends Eileen Dunne (Kathy Bates), Lily Fox (Maggie Smith), and Dolly (Agnes O'Casey) enter a talent competition to win tickets to Lourdes to visit the spot where the Virgin Mary was once spotted in hopes of getting their own personal miracles - Eileen has discovered a lump in her breast, Lily is seeking solace after her only son's death, and Dolly's young son hasn't said a word. They win the tickets but hit a snare when Chrissie (Laura Linney) also joins the group - a woman who used to be friends with Eileen, used to be the girlfriend to Lily's son, and who had a massive falling out with the women. As they hope and pray for their own personal miracles, the women learn that sometimes the biggest miracle comes in the form of forgiveness.


The Good:
It's always great when you get some of the most acclaimed, talented, and dedicated actresses to star in your small film, and that's what "The Miracle Club" delivers. Laura Linney, Kathy Bates, and Maggie Smith absolutely shine in their performances and drives the narrative forward in a subtly intense way. These women are at the top of their game, and all deliver something different. Linney's Chrissie has just lost her mother, and seems to be the most skeptical of the women. She is headstrong and protective after being exiled from their small town after Lily's son's death, and also has a secret concerning the child she was carrying with him. Linney plays the character close to the vest and yet also exudes a sense of vulnerability that proves her to be one of the most talented underrated actresses out there.

Oscar winner Kathy Bates can effortlessly flow from one genre to another, and play any type of role with complete believable gusto. Eileen is a hard-nosed woman who hasn't told anyone about her possible breast cancer diagnosis, and who hasn't even seen a doctor about it. She believes more than anyone about the healing power in Lourdes, and you sense her desperation when she enters the water in hopes of her cancer miraculously going away. Yet that's all background as her main struggle is with Chrissie and the past that they shared. They were once friends but she felt Chrissie abandoned her, and harbors deep-seeded angry feelings toward her that only a miracle can fix.

Then there's the always delightful Maggie Smith, who is best known for her sarcastic role in "Downton Abbey" and also the powerful leader Professor McGonagall in the "Harry Potter" franchise. Yet she's been an acting mainstay for decades and has earned a couple Academy Awards for her immersive talent, and she brings that talent as Lily, a role most younger audiences wouldn't know her to play. She's dealing with her only son's tragic early death, Chrissie's mystery about his child, and her own aging ailments that makes her concerned with her own mortality. She is the heart of the film and delivers the most tear-inducing moments that proves she still has what it takes and that talent knows no age.

The story itself is one of forgiveness - something that only a miracle can accomplish. Even though the women are seeking physical miracles for their ailments, it's their inner selves that really need a miraculous touch. Through hard conversations, revealing secrets, and issues with faith, they learn the power of forgiveness and shows that sometimes that's the biggest miracle of all.


The Bad:
The film gets off to an insanely slow start, something that most moviegoers won't be able to get behind before the real dramatics kick into action. This is a film where you need to know what you're getting into before watching, and make sure you're good and ready to witness three actresses doing what they do best against a scenic backdrop devoid of car chases, explosions, or shootouts.

Despite featuring women living in Ireland, none of the actresses are actually Irish. Linney completely abandons any accent whatsoever, Smith gives a believable accent, and Bates is, sadly, totally lackluster as she moves from a terrible accent to an acceptable one to one that's entirely nonexistent that really takes you out of certain powerful moments.


The Verdict:
Sometimes the biggest miracle is the miracle of forgiveness, and "The Miracle Club" proves that once that miracle is achieved, nothing else really matters.


The Score: B+