Kurt Russell puts on his coaching hat and hairpiece to lead the United States to a miracle victory against the Soviets in hockey. Hope that didn’t spoil the movie for you, but the film is full of fine performances and well worth pushing the play button on your Blu-ray player.
In the 1980s, coach Herb Brooks (Kurt Russell), and his wife Patty (Patricia Clarkson), goes from the University of Minnesota to coaching the U.S. Olympic hockey team. He’s joined at the team tryouts by assistant coach Craig Patrick (Noah Emmerich) and team doctor “Doc” Nagobads (Kenneth Welsh) as they weed through the tryouts for the team.
The team doesn’t seem to act like one with forward Rob McClanahan (Nathan West) and defenseman Jack O’Callahan (Michael Mantenuto) getting into a fight over their college rivalry. Brooks then asks each team member their name, hometown, and for who he plays, including goaltender Jim Craig (Eddie Cahill), Dave Silk (Bobby Hanson), Mark Johnson (Eric Peter-Kaiser), Mike Ramsey (Joseph Cure), and Buzz Schneider (Billy Schneider, playing his own father).
Brooks engages the team in grueling workouts, especially after an exhibition game that results in a tie, until exhausted team captain Mike Eruzione (Patrick O’Brien Dempsey) goes through the introduction drill and instead of stating the team he played for states he plays for the United States of America.
The U.S. team is going to play the formidable Soviet team and their exhibition game with them goes badly, but as the Olympics begins perhaps a miracle will occur.
Just like the film Titanic, you know the boat sinks, it’s a given that the team will rise above their greenhorn status and defeat the Russians. It’s certainly a miracle that they did, especially after their trouncing in that exhibition game. It’s the performances that you’ll stick with in the film and Kurt Russell is well up to the challenge of playing the late coach Brooks, who died about a year before the film was completed in an automobile accident.
History is over and done with and a quick look in sports books or the web, if you didn’t live through the time period chronicled, will tell you the outcome of the game, but it you don’t believe in the performances it will sink a film about the particular event. Russell simply excels as does his young team and athletic staff.
Patricia Clarkson gives him ample support as his wife and if you’re not watching the rousing games you’ll be riveted by their performances. A fine, fine sports film and this is coming from someone who isn’t too interested in hockey. I suppose it’s also a microcosm of the U.S. versus Russia too.
Miracle is presented in a 1080p high definition transfer (2.40:1). Special features include a commentary by director Gavin O’Connor, editor John Gilroy, and director of photography Daniel Stoloff. The other special features are presented in standard definition.
The 18 minute “The Making of Miracle” chronicles the film. The 28 minute “From Hockey to Hollywood” is about the casting of the young faces of the team. A 41 minute “ESPN Roundtable” has Russell and the real-life hockey players talking about Brooks and the film. The 21 minute “First Impressions” has the filmmakers sitting down with Brooks before his untimely death. The 11 minute “Sound of Miracle” looks at the sound design of the film. Finally, there are 5 minutes of outtakes.
Miracle is a miraculous film. Not just that the underdog U.S. team beat the more experienced Russian team, but that it will take non-sports fans up into its storyline and have them rooting “U.S.A.” as well. Miracle is a fine film with some excellent performances - especially Russell and Clarkson.
Miracle [Blu-ray] is now available at Amazon . Visit the DVD database for more information.
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