The Miracle Season

The Miracle Season is an inspiring account of a true story. The acting and narration respectfully accommodate the actual people involved. This is sure to be a worthwhile watch for any sports movie fan.

The story follows talented volleyball team, The Women of Troy, as they seek to win the championship. However, a tragic accident results in the death of team leader Caroline Found (Danika Yarosh). As a result, the team disbands in mourning, with coach Kathy (Helen Hunt) trying to lighten and reunite its hopeless members. Caroline's best friend Kelly (Erin Moriarty) chooses to become team leader and respect Caroline by espousing the championship. This results in a grueling training season where all team members must put aside their grief and work together to compete. With extreme stakes at hand, the team must win in order to fully respect Caroline's legacy and rectify their losses.

Helen Hunt, as Kathy, incredibly presents her tough-love attitude towards her team and their determination to win the championship. She performs wonderfully in depicting Kathy's attempt to imbue the team with a purpose in the most hopeless of circumstances. Erin Moriarty, as Kelly, excellently portrays her growth from novice volleyball player to motivating leader. Danika Yarosh, as Caroline, exceptionally characterizes her teenage friendship with Kelly, including some recklessness at times. This allows her accident to have an emotional weight to it. William Hurt, as Ernie, is my favorite character due to his character arc through his grief of his daughter's death, as he slowly pushes people closest to him away. His friendship with Kathy allows for a humanizing and emotionally charged redemption from his self-pity.

Sean McNamara directs the movie with a scenic chronological representation of the events that happened in real life. My favorite scene is one where Kelly and Ernie talk about their regrets, resulting in Ernie asking Kelly to stop being so harsh on herself. I love how it portrays a relatable aspect of life. The flaw with the movie comes in the first act, when it feels like another cliché teen drama. Fortunately, it improves once the more humanizing aspects of the story come into play. However, there is an overuse of mainstream music during much of the movie, which results in a few of the most emotional scenes being completely nullified.

The message of this movie is to always remain as a source of hope for others. Despite the extreme pressure the team faces, Kelly always finds a way to assure her teammates. I give this film 3.5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 6 to 18.

Reviewed by Arjun N., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic. For more reviews by youth, visit kidsfirst dot org

"The Miracle Season" (PG, 1:41) is a drama directed by Sean McNamara (who directed the 2015 true-story high school drama "Spare Parts") and written by David Aaron Cohen (2004's "Friday Night Lights" film) and Elissa Matsueda ("Spare Parts"). This movie is based on the true story of the tragic death of a high school volleyball team captain in Iowa in 2011 and the season in which the team struggled to overcome their grief, push forward without their best player and try to repeat as state champions.

Caroline "Line" Found (Danika Yarosh) is the effervescent captain of the West High School girls volleyball team and life-long best friend of Kelley Fliehler (Erin Moriarty, looking like a slightly younger Kate Mara). Caroline encourages Kelley when she doubts her volleyball skills and even manages to stay positive and try to boost the spirits of her mother (Jillian Fargey) who is dying of cancer. Caroline's father, Dr. Ernie Found (Oscar winner William Hurt), also seems to draw strength from his daughter as he deals with his wife's condition. All this makes for an especially devastating tragedy when "Line" dies so unexpectedly.

Caroline's teammates have a hard enough time dealing with losing such an important person in their young lives, let alone getting back on the volleyball court. The team's coach, Kathy Bresnahan (Oscar winner Helen Hunt) encourages Kelley to step up, become a team leader, and get her teammates back to practice. The coach feels that returning to the game they all love will help the girls heal and be the best way to honor Caroline's memory. The players slowly come to agree, but still find it very painful to play volleyball without Caroline - and just as difficult to win without her - but they keep on trying.

"The Miracle Season" is a touching and inspiring story. It may be predictable and have an "After School Special" vibe to it, but the excellent cast and strong performances raise this film to another level. It would've done better to wallow in its sad backstory a little less and feature the game of volleyball a little more, but the movie is still entertaining. It also serves up some valuable lessons, not just about overcoming adversity and never giving up (as important as all that is), but it also shows teenagers how fragile life can be and reminds us all to live every day to the fullest. "B"

Living in the area, I was well aware when this tragedy occurred. My nephew was also an assistant coach on the team (but not portrayed) so I know from him how accurate the portrayal is, as well as knowing Kathy for decades. Bres is very matter-of-fact, and suffers no fools, but she's not quite as calloused as portrayed on screen. That being said, it's understandable to create drama to perpetuate the story with a sort of antagonist. The timeline is a little 'off', and the difference between semifinals & finals is only a day- but again, plot development, so it's necessary. Other than these very small details, I found the film to be very good, Helen Hunt absolutely nailed Bres' wardrobe to a T! I recall the ICW football team also honoring 'Line' during their season, and the entire state really did rally around these kids who suffered so mightily. It's a wonderful portrayal of events, and how drive and determination really can propel you to the top, and honor those left behind.

If you're lucky as the kid growing up, you have that friend who inspired you to be greater. And if you're present at the time, you get the gift then. Before you're old and distinguish its value in retrospect. For me that was my friend John from high school. In Director Sean McNamara's "The Miracle Season" that soul is Caroline, played by Danika Yarosh, who inspired greater in Kelly, played by Erin Moriarty.

17 year-old Caroline or "Line" is the star volleyball setter for the Iowa State Champion High School Trojans. Line sees the strength within her best friend and teammate Kelly. Caroline sees the hero within Kelly that she has yet to discern. Along with their Coach Kathy "Bres" Bresnahan, the Trojans commit to win the 2nd consecutive State Title, something no other school had accomplished.

Spirited pretty Yarosh as Caroline is the radiant light who grants everyone friendship. Her Dad Ernie, played by William Hurt, is the surgeon and team mentor. Her Mother Ellyn, played by Jillian Fargey, suffers from terminal cancer. Caroline holds out hope that Mom will see her get married someday.

Caroline tragically dies in a traffic accident before the season starts. Her Dad and Kelly, along with the entire community are devastated. Initially, strong stoic Hunt as Bres dedicates along with the team to winning the State Championship for Caroline.

Sounds predictable or formulaic? Perhaps. However, unique poignancy emerges in the screenplay by David Aaron Cohan and Elissa Mastueda, whose story is based on real life Iowa high school volleyball star Caroline Found, who passed away in 2015. The movie is the homage to the Trojan's "Miracle Season" to the State Championships.

At times Cohan and Matsueda's narrative succumbs to wallowed sentimentality. Clumsy dialogue occurs especially in Coach Bres's inspirational sound bites. Perhaps, the mourning for the girls over Caroline's death indulges a tad, yet there is the sense of authentic loss. I think that authenticity of loss and looking at what someone's true legacy endears "The Miracle Season" even in its frailties.

Erin Moriarty is a star. She has understated strength and vulnerability as Kelly. She and Helen Hunt have savior chemistry and partnership. In the great scene Kelly quietly sets the volleyball up in air with her fingers, while Coach Bres closes her eyes and listens. She knows Kelly is the one. William Hurt is beautiful humanity as the grieving father, who like Line sees the greater within Kelly. "The Miracle Season" is about letting go.

So what is legacy? I've gotten that legacy shall be defined by others we touched in life. Yet, legacy can't be confined to the memory of the past. Legacy has value only when it is about those remaining moving forward and becoming greater. It's about regenerating the joy of those we love be it: making snow angels in the middle of nowhere.

Legacy is about others, them becoming greater than they know. Toward the end, Bres tells her players that she loves them, and couldn't be prouder. She says, "Win it for you!" "The Miracle Season" touches in reminding us that we honor someone's legacy in pursuing our own greater.

Helen Hunt was excellent as usual in this film. Films that are based on true events will get me every time. Made my heart smile but my eyes cry. Loved the movie sound track. This movie reminded me of how Team Work is really just that, and that loyalty definitely, does still exist.