“Miracles from Heaven” is a modest Hollywood production which had a budget of $13 Million. The movie was adapted from a book written by Christy Beam, the mother of a seven-year-old girl with an incurable disease whose name I can’t spell or pronounce. Jennifer Garner plays the role of Christy Beam and gives an Oscar worthy performance, as the mother struggling with her daughter’s malady, frantically seeking a cure where none exists. Young Kylie Rogers plays Anna Beam giving us a true to life look at a child in pain and distress.
The close-knit, loving and faithful family of five is slowly torn asunder as Anna’s condition begins to worsen. Parent or not, you will empathize with them every step of the way, particularly as they battle to get into see the leading authority on the disease, a pediatrician who is not only 1,800 miles away but whose appointment schedule is booked nine months out.
Miracles From Heaven
Entertainment Rating: ★★★
Rating: PG: Total family fare
Possible Oscar Nominations: It’s highly unlikely the Academy will give this movie much attention at awards time, regardless Jennifer Garner gives us an Oscar level performance for Best Actress.
The movie is based on true events.
Desperate, the mother and daughter board a plane and head for Boston Children’s Hospital to seek out Dr. Nurko, with or without an appointment. They eventually get in, a miracle in itself, and after every test possible, he can offer no hope.
As this is a true story, it would probably not be a best- selling book or movie if Anna had not somehow recovered. She of course did, but how is the stuff miracles are made of. Medical science has no solution for her malady, their best effort is to prolong life and keep them comfortable. The miraculous cure occurs after they return home, in a dramatic and amazing sequence, spiced with some striking moments involving the local EMTs and rescue squad, reminding us how lucky we are to have folks like that around.
Returning to Boston to confirm she is cured, Anna receives no explanation from the Doctor. He says, “we refer to these situations as spontaneous remission.” Having had a similar situation in my own family, I can tell you there is “no such animal.” There is only one way that kind of cure can come about, and if you don’t know how, you only need to look inside yourself for the answer.
Both the story and the characters will grow on you as the story progresses. If you are looking for an uplifting experience, especially with Easter just around the corner, you can do far worse.
