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Miracle
2004 135 min United States of America PG 12+
★7.3
Drama, History
Director: Gavin O'Connor
Trailers
Description
When college coach Herb Brooks is hired to helm the 1980 U.S. men's Olympic hockey team, he brings a unique and brash style to the ice. After assembling a team of hot-headed college all-stars, who are humiliated in an early match, Brooks unites his squad against a common foe: the heavily-favored Soviet team.
Budget:
$28M
US Gross:
$64.38M
Worldwide:
$64.4M
Starring
Kurt Russell
Actor
Patricia Clarkson
Actor
Nathan West
Actor
Awards
2 wins & 4 nominations total
Key opinion
Miracle is widely regarded as a professionally crafted, albeit standard, sports drama that succeeds as an inspirational narrative for American audiences. While the film is praised for its kinetic hockey sequences and Kurt Russell's central performance, it faces criticism for its jingoistic framing and one-dimensional portrayal of the Soviet team.
| Acting | Kurt Russell delivers a compelling, nuanced performance that anchors the film's emotional stakes as coach Herb Brooks. | |
| Cinematography | The film features kinetically energetic and well-executed hockey match sequences that effectively convey the intensity of the sport. | |
| Culture | The portrayal of the Soviet team and its leadership is divisive; some viewers appreciate the depiction of the "Red Machine" as a formidable adversary, while others condemn it as an insensitive, robotic caricature born of Cold War bias. | |
| Runtime | The film's pacing is viewed differently by critics; some find the narrative engaging throughout, while others argue the runtime is bloated by approximately thirty minutes. | |
| Screenplay | The screenplay relies on standard, feel-good sports movie tropes that feel manipulative or overly patriotic to some, while others find the focus on team unity and overcoming odds genuinely moving. |