The Miracle Club

So, I'm not a "movie snob", but (like art) I know what I like. I like this movie, **_very_** much. It was a chance to see actresses I haven't seen in a while, so it's time of a review of each of them. First, they ALL look older. And that's perfectly fine with me. I'd rather movies show me the reality of growing older than glamorize looking young and beautiful. If you still haven't a clue..."IT'S ALL ABOUT THE ACTING!!!" I LOVE seeing Maggie Smith, as I've loved her since "Jean Brodie". Kathy Bates, LOVED in "Unconditional Love", as well as 99% of her acting catalog. And Laura Linney...another GREAT actress I LOVE from the "Tales In the City" series. EACH of them show their talents with great intuition and conviction in this piece. Outstanding performances from ALL involved, with a "BRAVA!" However, this movie has dark point that even made a jaded, old gay man shed many tears. OK. It's not that difficult to make a gay man cry, but BELIEVE ME when I tell you that you, too, shall shed some tears. Maybe only a couple, but tears SHALL be shed. All in all, a FANTASTIC movie that covers the late 1950's/early 1960's opinions and life styles. VERY authentic! Of course, this is coming from an Anglophile Yank...

Laura Linney ("Chrissie") arrives back in the small Irish community of Ballygar following the death of her estranged mother. At that exact moment, there is a local talent contest going on and the prize is either a trip to Lourdes or a large bacon joint! Now three local women - "Lily" (Dame Maggie Smith); "Eileen" (Kathy Bates) and "Dolly" (Agnes O'Casey) want the trip so they can take the latter women's mute son "Daniel" (Eric Smith) to the shrine, they can all bathe in the waters, and hopefully the youngster will start to talk! It's a gently paced, if procedural, comedy this that allows each of the characters a few scenes to tell us of their woes before a denouement that isn't really a challenge for anyone - watching or acting. We deal with bitterness, misunderstanding, age-old opinions of sex and forgiveness as only an Irish storyline can. Along the way, Kathy Bates proves that she can knock out a tune or two, though I wouldn't give loads for Dame Maggie's backing singing, and the effort from the young, curly-haired, Smith is quite charming. Otherwise this is all just a bit too familiar. It looks charming though and shows us well just how celebratory and simultaneously toxic small community life can be - especially when fuelled by religion. It's worth a watch - the cast gel well, but it can wait til the television at Christmas.