Miracles from Heaven
Blu-Ray + Digital
If you saw Heaven is for Real, you might’ve had certain expectations for this movie. It is, after all, brought to us by the same producers. I admit, my level of hope was slightly low coming in, as I enjoyed Heaven is for Real, but didn’t think it was super great. The story was engaging, it showed the normalcy of a “regular family” in Midwestern America, it had quality actors, but lacked the punch I was hoping for. This movie, however, exceeded my expectations. Both films told fascinating stories, both promised a payout (a near death experience for one and a miraculous healing for the other) and both emphasized the believability of the characters by showing large helpings of doubt and struggle.
America’s newest sweetheart, Jennifer Garner, holds her own as the main character (Christy Beam), alongside her daughter Anna (also played brilliantly by Kylie Rogers). It’s easy to feel the pain of these characters as they face the day-in-day-out upkeep of a disease and the uncertainty of what’s causing the symptoms and the frustration of test after test. All of these factors are paced well, neither one feeling like it was overplayed or developing into monotony. Mom, dad, little Anna and her siblings all display a fortitude that’s inspiring, but also the faltering and struggle of being human.
It was especially sad to see mom (Christy Beam/Jennifer Garner) lose faith in her husband and in the God of her faith, sadder still to see dad forget to take the oldest sibling to an important soccer tryout due to his busyness. The emotion of seeing little Anna suffering constant pain is relate-able and a little hard for any parent to watch. Moments of love break through often, though, giving this movie a cool dynamic on the human condition and the value of community. Queen Latifah shows up as a compassionate waitress that befriends mom and Anna when they’re holed up in faraway Boston for several tests and treatments. Even small things shine a light on this kind of love, like the family deciding to not eat pizza to show solidarity for Anna or showing up at the hospital in a surprise visit. The medical specialist/doctor they visit in Boston is an awesome character that does a great job of making kids smile and laugh. That was so cool to see.
I enjoyed a quote from young Anna after her miracle and the decision to tell others about it.
“It’s alright, mom.
Not everyone’s going to believe.
They’ll get there when they get there.”
Overall, it was a heartwarming movie, which you probably expected coming in, and it was portrayed well. It was a hoot to see Third Day perform as the worship band for the local church the Beams attended in their hometown of Burleson, Texas. They rock up “Soul on Fire” pretty good.
The bonus features on this disc help add to the story. Of course, we get to meet the real Beams, who articulate their story so well, and the real Anna is just a darling. The deleted scenes are pretty good, too. I lament the fact that the accidental poop-in-pants scene at school was cut, because it underscored the emotional trauma of dealing with this disease and its medication, etc. We also miss a couple more glimpses of the unconditional love that one of Anna’s male friends provides in the face of peer pressure and cruel teasing from her classmates.
If you’re longing for a so-called “Christian movie” that shows a realistic and not overly-simplistic portrayal of faith in a story, this one will fit the bill just fine.
[Sony Pictures] Doug Van Pelt
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