Reviews are coming in on Disney's Miracle -- and the news is decidedly mixed.
New York Times: '"Miracle" does a yeoman's job of recycling the day-old dough that passes for its story."'
Newsday: "A typically overblown inspirational saga, lifted by bright performances and a bang-up finale."
The Tennessean:" I couldn't wait to see this bad boy. Kurt Russell playing hard-nosed coach Herbert Brooks? America overthrowing the dreaded Soviets on the ice? HIGH DRAMA! And then we saw the movie. NOT SO HIGH DRAMA!"
If like me, you were actually alive and aware during the 1980 Olympics, you might want to avoid a review in the Washington Post by freelancer Mark Jenkins, who managed to insert this particularly repugnant piece of moral equivalence into his piece:
Nor does he (the director) have any apparent feel for historical irony, observing the unfurling of a "Get the Puck out of Afghanistan" banner as if he hadn't heard that the United States is now that country's occupying power.
That's right, America's effort to overthrow a stone age government that helped author 9-11, and shelter Osama bin Laden, isn't any different the Soviet Union's attempt to prop up a client regime. Brilliant analysis like this is hard to find.
For an antidote to the Jenkins piece, read Bill Simmons, who captures what the moment was like quite nicely.
As part of the Disney family, ESPN.com is in full promo mode, including: a Page 3 piece by NHL Editor Sherry Shalko, an interview with Kurt Russell, another piece by Jim Caple; and a list of other sports teams that deserve big screen treatment by Eric Neel.
Finally, ESPN.com reprints a piece from The Hockey News by Adam Proteau wondering when we'll see a big screen adaptation of the 1972 Summit Series between the Soviets and Team Canada:
The best news, though, is that we have the chance to do it right. This isn't to say "Miracle" will go the way of Harrison Ford's career, merely that Disney's denizens are famous for trimming the rougher edges from their characters. We don't want Bobby Clarke coming off like Haley Joel Osment. We don't want the part of Phil Esposito to go to Ashton Kutcher. We want what actually went down, in all its foul-mouthed, stick-swinging glory. After all, this is a movie whose moral might be understood thusly: sticks and stones -- OK, maybe just sticks -- may break my ankle and cause my country to lose a series that seemed to be in hand, but names will never hurt me.
I'm going to see Miracle on Saturday night. Look for a review late on Sunday.
I don’t mind telling you I’m a little nervous about this movie now. The trailer gave me chills. But seeing all the reviews mentioning the political subtext is disconcerting. While I recognize that Jimmy Carter won’t be remembered as history’s best president, I’m not in the mood to hear a bunch of people smirking in a theatre when his “malaise” speech pops up on screen. After all, Carter, like a lot of the Soviet players, went on to redeem themselves after 1980.
Your point about “moral equivalence” is valid, but I don’t think it’s entirely wrong to mention the irony. Afghanistan went on to do worse than Soviet occupation, which is saying a lot!
Basically, I don’t want that stuff in a movie about sports. This is a classic underdog story about a bunch of college kids — few of whom ever made it to the NHL — beating a team that was in essence the best professional team in the world. You can’t ignore the Cold War angle, but why emphasize it?
All the more reason for me to look forward to the year’s other U.S. underdog film — “The Game of Their Lives.” Bring on England!
I don’t know, Beau. Looking back, there simply isn’t any way to divorce that final game from its Cold War context.
From the reviews I’ve read, the political stuff mostly comes up front. Then again, one of the reasons the win was such a big deal was the fact that the Winter of 1980 was such a miserable time here in the U.S. If Team USA’s victory had come in the midst of good times, I don’t think it would be remembered quite as fondly.
One last point: plenty of members of that team get a little annoyed sometimes at the underdog label. Nine of those guys actually made it to the NHL, including Mike Ramsey, who was a first round draft pick.
I was talking with Ms. Skalko yesterday about the likelihood of a movie about the 1972 Summit Series. My contention is that it won’t get done well, if it gets done at all. It is a Canadian story, and quite frankly, the US doesn’t give a crap about Hockey, and it gives even less hof a crap about Canadian hockey. Some Canadian production firm might decide to do it, but the financial resources to make it as realistic as Miracle just aren’t there given the expected return in a market like Canada.
On a lighter note, check out Salon’s review for an example of a reviewer who never gave hockey a thought before in her life and is trying to fudge it. She’s like, “goalies tend to be the most beloved figures in the game,” which gave me a fit of giggles. Yes, and you can tell by all the fans who shout at them all the time!
To downplay the political aspect of the game is to forget history. It had everything to do with it. I’ll never forget the picture on the news that night of the Soviet embassy in NY City, outside of which somebody had taped a cardoard sign and written in big black letters “4-3″.
20% interest rates, impotence at saving 52 hostages, gas rationing, and the real feeling that we were actually losing the Cold War – that was the late 70’s, and that was the backdrop for a victory that was quintissentially American in nature. Hard working kids from different backgrounds working together to overcome seemingly insurmountable odds to achieve a common goal.
U.S.A.!!!
As a guy who was 11 at the time and will never forget it, I hope the ‘72 series is never re-interpreted for the silver screen. The moment is what it is, and cannot be recaptured, no matter how large the budget or skilled the crew.
In the meantime, I cautiously hope that “Miracle” will be at least half-decent.
Maybe, in this age of excellent documentaries, the Summit Series should get that treatment. Maybe there’s one already, I dunno.