MOVIE REVIEW: ‘Lost in Translation’ not a winner; timing perfect for ‘Miracle’
Grade: B+
If the film “Miracle” did one thing right, it managed to keep the interest of its viewers for over two hours, despite the fact that every last person in the theater knew how it would end. Even if you haven’t heard of the USA hockey team’s 1980 upset victory over the USSR in the Olympics, what kind of doubt could there be going into a movie called “Miracle?”
Fortunately, keeping the audience’s interest isn’t the only thing the film did right. It gave us interesting characters, genuine emotions, and a much-needed emotional pick-up. Considering all of the tension at home and abroad these days, there’s nothing like a good sports movie to lift the spirits again.
Of course, being a sports movie, I can’t grade it against other current films (“Along Came Polly,” “The Perfect Score”). Obviously it slaughters them. But “Miracle” must be judged against its peers: the greats of the sports movie genre. This is the sacred realm containing some of the most hallowed of guy films: “Hoosiers,” “Rocky,” “Rudy,” “The Natural” … I could go on. I just bought “Victory”* on DVD the other night at Wal-Mart for five bucks.
On that scale, “Miracle” comes up at about a B+. It’s a great movie, but 15 years from now, I’m not so sure it will generate the same kind of distinction as “Hoosiers” or “Rocky.” Not that that’s anything to be ashamed of, I just had difficulty finding anything to set “Miracle” apart. It was entertaining, uplifting, and exciting, but it followed the formula. Luckily it didn’t try to go off on some ill-advised romantic tangent in an effort to bring in a wider audience; it was what it was: a hockey movie.
If I have one genuine criticism, it’s for the film’s trailer. The preview gives away one of the most critical transition points in the whole movie. It’s so obvious that you spend half the film waiting for it to happen. I won’t completely give it away, but the moment I’m referring to has to do with player introductions.
It wouldn’t be fair to spend most of this review being negative. It also wouldn’t be fair to neglect to mention how good Kurt Russell is. His portrayal of the U.S. team’s driven coach gives the story more depth than most folks realize. Of course, it doesn’t quite match Russell’s performance with Goldie Hawn in “Overboard,” but at best one can only repeat perfection, not supersede it.
In fact, most all of the actors in “Miracle” do a great job, from the salt-of-the-earth team members to the generic Russian player that just gives mean looks from time to time. We even get to see a 1980 version of Al Michaels. **
If that’s not enough to sell you, I give up.
*Obscure Reference Translation: “Victory” is a movie in which Michael Caine, Pele and Sylvester Stallone play soccer against Nazis.
** Obscure Reference Translation #2: Al Michaels is the commentator guy that says the line, “Do you believe in miracles?”
Joshua Terry is a graduate student in the American studies program. E-mail him at jterry@english.usu.edu, or visit his personal Web site at www.planetvenison.com.