Au coeur du miracle

Bottom line: this is a "crisis of faith" story. The main character (Ed Harris) is a priest who has doubts, but wants to believe. He has already successfully debunked one candidate for sainthood; now his superiors ask him to investigate another. Along the way, he is sexually tempted by the saint-candidate's daughter (Ann Heche), and then opposed by a brilliant but embittered German arch-bishop. There's no sex, violence, sci-fi, or spectacular special effects in this one, folks. Just plain old good acting by the leads and supporting characters, excellent and evocative photography, and a first-rate musical score that adds to the overall enjoyment of the film. The script does have its flaws, which prevent "The Third Miracle" from being absolutely brilliant, but I was disappointed when the movie ended: I wanted more! Would that the absorbing story and its details continue: Is the candidate ever granted sainthood? Does the arch-bishop change his attitude publicly? And whose baby IS that? But these and other theological issues are what you will ponder and debate after the credits are over. And that's what makes this a worthwhile film.

Yes, don't be late for this movie. What you see at the beginning sequence sets up the rest of the movie. It's the backbone of the plot. You have to take this film in whole. There are flashbacks. There are video playbacks within the film. They are subtle link backs - rather like navigating on the Web, and this Web is one of Ed Harris' character, who is struggling within himself - his mind, heart and soul, wrestling out of his own doubting web of gray matter. It's clicking on memories, description of things happened before, back to the present, rewind to the beginning imageries… It's challenging that way - it is a dramatic delivery of a story about humanity, faith, living and loving.

The saint to be or not to be is portrayed by Barbara Sukowa - for me, she can very well be a saint after her passionate performance of 1986 "Rosa Luxemberg", followed with her role in 1991 "Voyager" played opposite Sam Shepard and Julie Delpy. The reason of one leaving a loved one dear to one's heart, like her daughter (Anne Heche) when she was 16, hearkens to Julianne Moore's character in 1999 "The End of the Affair" where she left someone (Ralph Fiennes) she loved wholeheartedly, because of a silent promise to God due to God's answer to one's prayer. This is a similar dilemma Father Frank Shore (Ed Harris) is actually coping with.

Before "The Third Miracle", I didn't realize there's a whole Roman Catholic Church vocabulary unto its own, e.g., postulator, beatify, canonize, saint - these words were described in the dictionary within the breadth of "Roman Catholic Church." Miracle or not, it's up to the believer. How one worships is also to one's own design.

The film, on the surface, may feel rather like a Hollywood drama, yet it is not your usual topic. There are gritty scenes and challenging questions raised against one's attitude to faith. Ed Harris, Anne Heche, Armin Mueller-Stahl are a combination of actors worth watching. Whatever and however your feelings are about the subject of this film, it ultimately celebrates life.

Miraculously for 1999, "DOGMA" is an imaginative, creative piece on the Roman Catholic Church. Writer-director Kevin Smith (1994 "Clerks", 1996 "Chasing Amy") delivered an ensemble cast with Linda Fiorentino (John Dahl's 1994 "The Last Seduction") as the virginal divine connection in the center of it all; Matt Damon and Ben Affleck as the pair of angels in distress; Chris Tucker as the thirteenth apostle; and other colorful characters on this blessed adventure of a satirical religious journey. It's fun. You can tell the actors all have an enjoyable time delivering this fantasy piece!

Along the lines of miracles and controversies, 1995 "GOSPA" (means "Our Lady" in Croatian) is a film about a reportedly true event in Medjugorje, where six children believed they saw the Virgin Mary in 1981, and millions of pilgrims have visited the site since then. It follows the struggle of the parish priest (Martin Sheen) who defended the six children; it becomes more of a political drama with evolving prison and courtroom scenes. Not your usual box office fare.

Also remotely reminded me of the Schwarzenegger's 1999 "End of days", where explosive devilish special effects treatment were used in the course of the redemption of a young woman (Robin Tunney), while "The Third Miracle" provides a more thought provoking film in following the course of a young girl's (Maria) salvation, and even a glimpse into what a Vatican tribunal might have been like. The film is full of details and they came at a subtly non-stop pace, yet director Agnieszka Holland is not thrusting anything at you, rather, the film kind of grows on you after you leave the cinema. If you want something different, try this film - go see it with an open mind.

Agnieszka Holland's `The Third Miracle' is similar in many ways to one of its film contemporaries, `Stigmata." Both focus on Catholic priests who check out reports of the supernatural. Both are plagued with doubts about the faith, and as a result drink too much. Their superiors are either corrupt or evil-or both. During the course of their investigations, the priests team up with women who are not believers. They fall in love. At the end the priests and women are somewhat redeemed.

The difference in the films is what the two priests are after. In `Stigmata' it is a force that is killing the woman. In `Third' the priest (played by Ed Harris) investigates the credentials of candidates for sainthood. If he can confirm that the candidate is responsible for three miracles, he can recommend that the person be made a saint.

Harris feels guilty because a recent investigation has led to an entire community losing its faith. As a result, he has become known as `the miracle killer.' But in the course of `The Third Miracle's' plot, which focuses on Harris' investigation of a simple woman in 1979 Chicago, he regains his faith.

Convinced that there have indeed been three miracles, Harris must then argue his case before a church tribunal. A skeptical archbishop who is convinced that such a common American woman should not be granted sainthood opposes him.

The climax of the film is predictable-the average moviegoer should be able to see it soon after the archbishop is introduced. Unfortunately, the movie tacks on an ambiguous ending that leaves us wondering if the priest and woman's redemption aren't the true miracles.

The film raises a final question: Has Ed Harris ever given a bad performance, or even had a bad scene? He is assisted here by two fine other actors, Anne Heche and Armin Mueller-Stahl.

"Dogma" showed that throwing darts at the Roman Catholic Church isn't hard to do. Similarly, "Stigmata" created villains within the Church hierarchy with relative ease. The hard part is making some sense of what motivates priests and nuns to carry on in spite of this undeserved negativism. That's what makes "The Third Miracle" a joy to watch - a film that goes beyond stereotypes and biases to try to find answers. There is something in this film that believers and non-believers can take away from even though "The Third Miracle" has decidedly taken a strong stand about matters of faith. The linking of a wayward postulator, Father Frank, searching to legitimize a common woman for sainthood, with his own personal search for God is very effective. Equally so is how the film shows the powerful role of secularism in the lives of men we call 'holy' (can it be any more obvious than the Bishop's mud bath?). A stroke of trickery at the end doesn't spoil the way this film invites us to consider faith as truly an all-or-nothing proposition. Certainly for Father Frank, the invitation to faith and to his own priesthood was based on a shaky bargain with God to spare the life of his father. For Roxane, the daughter of Helen O'Reagan, the decision to exclude God was equally as capricious - that God would take her mother away from her just because she had to do God's work. For Archbishop Werner, the God he defends and the God he internalizes are two different beings - one who is all knowing and all powerful, the other who cannot see beyond things black and white. "The Third Miracle", then, is not just about canonizing a dead woman, a holy housewife, but about how these three living players interact and struggle with each other to arrive at their own faith. This interaction is played out so well due to brilliant performances by Anne Heche, Ed Harris, and Armin Mueller-Stahl. Miracles strengthen one's faith but the visible miracles are more likely to move those who need a sign to believe. The irony of Father Frank is that he was instructed to disprove the very extraordinary acts of faith which he desperately needed to save his own spiritual life. It took him two hours, the length of this film, to find his miracle. "The Third Miracle" leaves us with a similar challenge, how long will it take for us to find that same miracle, that same faith.

It was a treat watching this movie, being that I haven't checked out any low-budget or indie films in a long time. This is one of the lesser-known movies that is definitely worth watching. I was curious about it, mostly to see Ed Harris' performance. I've always loved Harris in everything he does, so I knew I could at least look forward to seeing a great actor at work. I have to say, this is one of his best performances. It's subtle and powerful, and he doesn't play his typecasted villainous role. This is a very different role for him, and one to remember. The premise and overall plot is intriguing, and Holland (I'm not gonna even bother spelling out the first name) does a fine job at keeping the suspense. It brings out great morals about Catholic faith, and faith in God just in general. And it proves that even people of priesthood can screw up, falter to temptation, but can still be summoned by God. Harris' character is a washed-up alcoholic, but God still sent him to investigate this alleged saint. Harris was even questioning his own faith, which made it even more interesting.

"The Third Miracle" is one of the overlooked films of 1999, and I definitely suggest you give it a viewing. You won't be disappointed.

My score: 7 (out of 10)