The Miracle Club

By Joanna Langfield

This cozy charmer sneaks into the summer box office race as a perfect antidote to all the blazing big budget extravaganzas.

First, what a collection of actresses has gathered to tell the tale of friends in a small corner of Dublin, pining to win a trip to the French town of miracles, Lourdes. Set in the socially revolutionary time of 1967, an essential part of the story takes place years before, in the 1950’s, when teenage pregnancies were handled in a particular, and sad, way. So now, when Laura Linney shows up from America, to attend her estranged mother’s funeral, Kathy Bates and Maggie Smith don’t quite know what to do. Should they embrace the girl who caused so much pain? Or should they hold on to anger that they may or may not have caused?

Lest any of us be confused, this is a comedy. Not the funniest of set ups, I grant you, but there are a few sweet moments along the way. Mostly, they come from the experience of the veteran stars, including a dandy supporting bit from Stephen Rea, as a husband left to his own devices for the first time. And the interaction of the women is winning, even if their characters’ histories are not. Quietly, this is a movie about women trying to evolve, in whatever way they can, from the strict structures of the times in which they were raised. And who can’t root for that?