O Clube dos Milagres

Beautifully acted film about faith and the ties that bind ... despite the secrets and lies.

An Irish parish is holding a talent contest and the winner gets a trip to Lourdes. Three friends are hoping to win but one dies before the contest. Her estranged daughter (Laura Linney) returns to the village after 40 years for the funeral.

She's met with resentment from her old friend (Kathy Bates) and her first love's mother (Maggie Smith). The women don't win the trip but end up going anyway and each one faces the limits of faith and love when they expect miracles to happen at Lourdes.

The star actresses are all terrific and make this film worth watching. Co-stars include Stephen Rea, Niall Buggy, Agnes O'Casey, and Mark O'Halloran.

Given some of the subject matter, "nice" is possibly an odd word but the movie ultimately has an uplifting ending. Plot wise you kind of see it all coming but Maggie Smith, Laura Linney and Kathy Bates and one of the lead actresses from series Say Nothing make it an enjoyable watch.

It is a little odd that Linney doesn't try to even effect a hint of an Irish accent but they're all good actresses. The rest of the cast is slightly less known In scale, the story is pretty small/simple but it works and tells a story about miracles in that occur in ways and places people don't expect.

Forgiveness is a huge part of the story here as well. All the actresses play their parts well and it's comforting to watch them do it.

In the end it's a warm tale. It won't change your life in any significant way but it makes for a "comforting" watch From a technical perspective the visuals, cinematography and direction are ok but not amazing.

I wasn't sure what to expect from The Miracle Club, I just knew with a cast that included Maggie Smith, Kathy Bates and Laura Linley that I had to watch it. I was not disappointed in the slightest.

It is a lovely story about a friendship, past mistakes, love and forgiveness.

The casting is brilliant and as usual Smith, Bates and Linley give magnificent performances.

It tells the story of woman who returns to her home village after 40 years away, to attend the funeral of her mother whom she has not seen in all those years. She is met with hostility from her old friend and the mother of her long lost love.

It culminates with them taking a trip to Lourdes all in search of their own miracle.

I really feel honoured to have watched this film and really did not want it to end.

Unusually positive movie of happy endings without becoming syrupy or preachy. Starts a bit slow and contrived, but becomes engaging after the bus to Lourdes departs and a web of hidden relationships and past sins are gradually are explained. Unusual film in that it displays almost an overdose of vivid Catholic imagery. Includes a priest who's a likeable, normal guy. Its portrayal of 1960's Ireland was a fascinating historical throwback. Irish accents were pretty thick. I wish I could have watched with subtitles on because I could not understand some key moments of dialogue. Based on others reactions in the theater, I don't think I was alone in this.

The Miracle Club is a small movie about several ladies from Ireland set during the 1960's who win a pilgrimage trip to Lourdes in France. Maggie Grace, Kathy Bates, and Agnes O'Casey have great chemistry to come together in order to win a trip of a lifetime meanwhile Laura Linney returns home to attend her mother's funeral. Each of the ladies are looking for a miracle to either cure a physical ailment or to help with their emotional breakdown. These academy award nominated and winning actors were enjoyable to watch, the movie was well received with great direction and cinematography. Stephen Rea also joined the cast as Gates no good husband who took his wife for granted. I would definitely recommend this Thaddeus O'Sullivan film for the whole family to enjoy.