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When life gets difficult and we’re faced with challenges, it’s hard to determine the right thing to do. Sometimes it turns out for the best, but sometimes things go horribly wrong. And in The Miracle Club, four Irish women find themselves wrestling with the decisions they made years ago.
The Miracle Club follows a group of women from 1960s Dublin as they set out on a pilgrimage to Lourdes. Dolly (Agnes O’Casey) goes in search of a miracle for her son, who doesn’t speak. Eileen (Kathy Bates) is hoping for a miracle for her own health. And Lily (Maggie Smith) just wants to make the trip before it’s too late. They’re joined by Chrissie (Laura Linney), who’s returned home for the first time in 40 years for her mother’s funeral. And on their journey, these four women all gain something they didn’t expect.
As the women set out on their pilgrimage, the joy and hopefulness of their adventure is diminished by Chrissie’s arrival. Her 40 years away clearly haven’t softened any of the anger and betrayal that she, Eileen, and Lily still feel. Gradually, more of their story comes out—and, as the women are thrown together on the long bus ride, they’re forced to open up about the pain that they still feel, all these years later.
Though you might expect the film to follow these cheeky Irish ladies through one comic mishap after another, that’s not really how the story plays out. While it certainly has its share of comical moments—especially where the women’s helpless husbands are concerned—their story is surprisingly dramatic. These women have so much pain and guilt and heartbreak to work through—from lost loved ones to broken relationships—and the film focuses its attention on their stories of healing.
These small-town entanglements and the decades of bitterness that they caused make for an emotional experience. Still, there are things about the film that just don’t fit. While Dolly is a likable character, her story seems out of place. And though Laura Linney and Kathy Bates both give strong performances, their casting as childhood friends (despite their 16-year age difference) is a strange choice that can sometimes distract from their story.
The talented cast definitely makes this story of four women on a life-changing journey a moving experience. But some of the filmmaking choices feel a little questionable—and, admittedly, these women and their surprisingly heavy drama can make it a bit of a tough sell.
You don’t need to travel to France to see The Miracle Club. It arrives in theaters on July 14, 2023.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
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