The new movie Miracle is already getting slammed by a good bit of negative press for it's depiction of the Soviet Union. There are a lot of people out there who think this movie is nothing more than a cheap exercise in giving the U.S. a healthy pat on the back. These are the kind of people who need to take a damn pill. I don't remember this much hoopla surrounding Rocky IV when it was released back in 1985 and that movie was fictional. Miracle is based upon actual historical fact and is, at it's heart, a classic underdog story in every sense of the word.
 
Miracle features Kurt Russell as Herb Brooks, an ex-hockey player who was cut from the Gold Medal winning 1960 U.S. Olympic Hockey team, but would get a chance to chase the dream again as the coach of the 1980 squad. The team, a loose confederation of collegiate stars had a major uphill battle on their hands, as the Soviet Union team they were to face hadn't lost a game since the invention of the Zamboni.
 
It is true that there is some negative stereotyping in Miracle. At one point in the picture, a U.S. hockey team member even suggests that; "Russians get shot if they smile". Yes, this is a form of ignorance, but it's an attitude many people take towards a culture they don't understand. And in all fairness in 1980 the Cold War was still simmering, but one way or the other this is hardly the emphasis of the film.
 
The big game that took place in 1980 meant a lot of things to a lot of different people. At the time the U.S. was in the midst of the energy crisis and the inflation of the Carter administration and for many, this epic bout between the U.S. and the Soviets paved the way for a sense of patrotism and pride in our country. In this respect, Miracle is reminiscent of Seasbiscuit (albeit not as effective) in it's portrayal of an underdog rising to challenge and instilling a sense of hope in a dispirited nation.
 
But what I liked most about this movie was it's insight into the connection between a coach and his team. Miracle is perhaps the best example of this since Hoosiers, a beautifully made film in which Gene Hackman played a coach who would take an Indiana high school basketball team all the way to the finals.  Certainly, Brooks  knew his team and more importantly, he knew how to push them and ultimately inspire them to their utmost potential.
 
I maintain that Kurt Russell is one of our most underrated actors. Like Dennis Quaid, Russell has been extremely solid in dozens of films through the years, but somehow, he's never emerged as a huge star (perhaps because for every Breakdown in his career there was also a Captain Ron). In Miracle, he plays Coach Brooks with a sense of pride, strength and even vulnerabiltity. It's a terrific well rounded performance in which the actor really does transform himself. I also must admit, it was fun seeing him all grown up in a Disney film when it was this particular studio that really gave him his start in the early days (see The Strongest Man in the World, The Computer Who Wore Tennis Shoes). 

Fresh off her beautifully nuanced Oscar nominated role in Pieces of April and an equally strong turn in The Station Agent, Patrica Clarkson elevates what was most likely a thankless role in the early stages, to something of importance as  Brooks'  supportive wife. I liked their relationship as depicted in the film. Even while engaging in tension-induced spats, I never once doubted the love these two had for each other. 

As for the team, they are comprised of several lesser known actors, and while none truly get to shine front and center, all are likable and I bought into their onscreen chemistry.
 
In a typical underdog sports film fashion, Miracle's climax involves the big game and the one on display here is a doozy. It doesn't rely on a bunch of melodramatic slow motion shots. I really felt as if I were watching a real game. And I must confess, even though I knew where the film was headed, it still sent a chill up my spine.  This wasn't The Mighty Ducks or Youngblood. This was something much more effective.
 
So for those of you who insist on saying this is nothing more than a polemic "Us against Them" film experience , I say go puck yourself. This is an uplifting film about the possibilty we all have for greatness, and the pride we take when one of our own achieves it. The look on Russell's face at the conclusion of the game says all that needs to be said.
 
At the screening I attended, people even cheered. And while this isn't flawless film-making, I too applaud it for what it strives to be - a testament to the what is possible when teamwork results in dreams come true.