Watched this 80's movie on TV and it came with the latter-day warning about the dangers of flash photography, when in truth, it should have come with a warning for the ears, as it's filled almost from start to finish with shouts, screams, bangs and crashes. From that particular era when Hollywood was churning out slapstick marital rom-coms seemingly by the score ("Ruthless People", "First Wives Club" et. al.) "Miracles" seeks to emulate "Romancing The Stone" (sort of) but adds the twist of employing a UK actor in the lead role - Tom Conti, but inexplicably lumbering him with an American accent.
Unfortunately, Tom's accent, like the couple's ill-fated plane journey, bales out about half-way to its intended destination, while alongside him, Teri Garr, as his newly-divorced lawyer ex-wife gets all wet and emotional in a pink ball-gown she's required to wear from start to finish. Along the way, taking in the "miraculous" coincidences which presumably inform the film's title and see lots of little good things happen, usually to the indigenous Latin American population of the country they cross into, springing okay, miraculously, from their haphazard adventures, they arrive, you'll not be surprised to learn, at a happy ever after conclusion, reuniting them and seeing them re-marry over the closing sequence.
Christopher Lloyd gets to reprise his "Taxi" / "Back To The Future" kookiness but the law of diminishing returns was already applying by this time. For an episodic chase film like this to work, it helps if you've got likable characters, smart one-liners and exciting stunts. Unfortunately, this film has none of the above and thus seems far longer than it actually is so that you'll probably be glad, like me, when it reaches its nondescript ending.
