The word “miracle” gets bandied about quite a bit, particularly in sports. But since no one has turned Gatorade to wine lately, I’m a bit loath to call anything in sports a miracle. But is there a 50-something sports fan alive who doesn’t remember The Miracle On Ice, the pivotal sports moment of the last 30 years? America hated itself, we had hostages in Iran, and the Red Menace seemed to be winning the Cold War. A few slapshots later, and we skated into the self-adoring, patriotic ‘80s. Team USA battled the unbeatable Soviets in hockey at the Lake Placid Olympics. That event has been faithfully chronicled in the movie Miracle, starring Kurt Russell as enigmatic coach Herb Brooks, who assembled the team of Davids to face the USSR Goliath.
ClearPlay In Action!
About 30 profanities and a lewd reference are trimmed in the ClearPlayed version of Miracle. You don’t have to be a hockey fan to like it, and kids should enjoy its underdog theme.
Do you believe in Miracle?…
As Al Michaels might say, “Yes!” Miracle does a great job setting the stage for the crucial game, from its “history of the ‘70s” montage under the opening credits, to Brooks’s acquiescence that the Olympic battle was more than just a hockey game. So what if you go in knowing the ending? That didn’t hurt Apollo 13 or Titanic.
Marty Nabhan—ClearPlay Goalie
Rated PG for language and some rough sports action; 135 min; Directed by Gavin O’Connor
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