Review of Miracles from Heaven (2016) by Trevorsview — 22 Dec 2016

I know, you’ve just about had it with these poorly produced independent features that preach Christianity. I will admit that Miracles from Heaven falls under that category of the lowliest of the low when compared to the loud, expensive spectacles that Hollywood churns up to financial success. But it’s not the same type of “repent or you’re going to hell” hate speech that God’s Not Dead spits out, nor does it celebrate shallow cultural stereotypes like Kirk Cameron’s Saving Christmas, but rather, it tells a true story open to interpretation that is worth discussion by all viewers.

The family we follow in this picture is the Beam family, composed of a mother, father, and three girls. Jennifer Garner (Alias, Juno) plays the mother of the family, Christy Beam. This once talented actress is simplified to an annoying vessel of a character who exists just for the other people in her life to hand her crucial information, all while she blames others for her troubles. Yet her whiny nature is true to the natural events, as the stress between her and the Lord comes across plainly.

Martin Henderson plays the father of the family, Kevin Beam. He shows no sorrow toward his daughter, nor is he as involved here as the true story claims. Courtney Fansler plays Adelynn Beam, the youngest child, while Brighton Sharbino plays Abbie, the oldest child. Neither of these girls are convincing in their roles, but there’s at least a slightly more tolerable performance by the miracle child in between them, Anna, played by Kylie Rogers.

Anna goes from freely spinning in a tire with her sisters one minute to puking her way through each long, ungodly night for weeks on end. The symptoms continue, her tummy becomes unnaturally bloated, and it takes a trip to the Boston Children’s Hospital to diagnose the true condition: Pseudo-Obstruction Motility Disorder. All the doctors say that she has no chance of surviving this disease… or does she?

While the oversaturated lens-flare heavy imagery of Texas takes me out of the experience, the use of the camera and script still expresses a clear aura of support that glows within this family. You see it as dad buys his daughter a dog to cheer her up, and they all commit to not eating pizza until they know she’s better. Together, you sense that they’re all secretly praying, “Why me, Lord?”.

Christy thus makes a difficult choice to fly to Boston for a doctor who can find a cure. I’ll admit I never felt she had anything valuable to leave in Texas, as all her “friends” there are such dreadful actors, and director Patricia Riggen’s (The 33) poor staging of their scenes failed to add any expected drama. Yet once they make it to Boston, life and joy is poured back into their hopelessness with Boston’s most knowledgeable doctor, who is extra silly with his Elmo tie and pirate impersonations to boot. Funny how the most miserable place for them each to be is where the most smiles erupt.

During their stay, they each befriend an outgoing waitress played by Queen Latifah (Chicago) who takes them on a tour through Boston in her own vehicle that looks fresh out of the dump. The montage of the mother and daughter meeting the city and its famous landmarks tries to be both charming and humorous, but the high commercialism and oversentimentality of it all misses the point of the story entirely. They could have left this whole scene (and waitress) out and nothing would have changed.

Yes, I know, Miracles from Heaven is a deeply flawed Christian film that has no real replay value (and that’s coming from a fellow Christian). But aside from the lack of mastery over story, an unbelievable account of a miracle too good to be true makes this a must-see. The logical would say that a lethal disease is reason enough to give up on Christ, but Miracles from Heaven proves how miracles are hidden in any uncalled for series of events. Miracles may not be in the big things like cancer and death, but it’s always in the little things like pillow fights and pizza parties. Miracles are found in a cross necklace worn at all times, Miracles are found in the father’s response to his daughter’s eternal pain. While we may not know what God has for us, we can still see the miracles in everyday living as long as we cling to faith in his good plan.