“CELEBRATING THE MIRACLE OF EVERYDAY LIFE”
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
THE MIRACLE CLUB is a comedy set in Ireland and France in 1967. A lifelong dream for Lily and Eileen, two elderly women is to go to the sacred French town of Lourdes. However, their dream hits a speed bump when the previously estranged daughter of their best friend returns to Ireland from America. After 40 years away, Chrissie comes home to a cold welcome. Her presence reopens old wounds. However, she sets off with her one-time friends to Lourdes in search of peace.
THE MIRACLE CLUB explores grief, forgiveness and miracles in a compelling, heartfelt way. The lead actresses deliver great performances. However, the movie’s opening is sometimes confusing, but ultimately the movie ties up the loose ends quite nicely. THE MIRACLE CLUB has a strong Christian, moral worldview, in a Catholic setting. In addition to stressing forgiveness, it celebrates the miracles of having a family and everyday life. There are also references to prayer, church, rosaries, and the Virgin Mary. However, THE MIRACLE CLUB has several strong obscenities and profanities, plus some irreverent jokes.
CONTENT:
(CC, BB, Ab, LL, V, N, AA, D, M):
Dominant Worldview and Other Worldview Content/Elements:
Strong Christian, moral worldview stresses forgiveness and selflessness and has Christian/Catholic elements like rosaries, statues of Mother Mary, prayer, scenes in a church, and a heartwarming scene about a subtle miracle, but there are some jokes about religion and the Catholic church
Foul Language:
Eight or nine obscenities (including three “f” words), plus there’s a scene that contains many profanities in a row, used as a comedic device, it is unclear whether it is prayer or taking the Jesus’ name in vain
Violence:
No depicted violence, but there are several conversations that discuss death and an attempted abortion, it is later revealed that a man committed suicide by drowning in the ocean, and while there is no graphic violence, these conversations are heavy, plus a few graves are shown as well as a coffin
Sex:
No sex, but a character accuses a woman of trying to “get with” a priest
Nudity:
Some upper male when men, women and children go to the healing pools in Lourdes and pray for healing (they are only wearing towels)
Alcohol Use:
Drinking in bar setting, one woman gets drunk and lashes out
Smoking and/or Drug Use and Abuse:
Brief smoking but no drugs (woman takes a prescription medicine); and,
Miscellaneous Immorality:
Before they reconcile, the women are excessively hostile toward one another.
MORE DETAIL:
THE MIRACLE CLUB is a comedy drama set in Ireland and France in 1967 where two elderly women in Ireland visit Lourdes, France, the famous Catholic healing shrine, with the estranged daughter of their friend who recently died, a trip that reopens some old wounds. THE MIRACLE CLUB explores grief, forgiveness and miracles in a compelling and heartfelt way and has some overt Christian, Catholic elements, but some strong foul language and irreverent jokes warrant extreme caution.
Lily (Maggie Smith) and her friend, Eileen (Kathy Bates), are grieving the death of their best friend, mother to Chrissie (Laura Linney). After 40 years away from her hometown in Ireland, Chrissie returns for the funeral.
Sadly, Lily and Eileen hate Chrissie for an unrevealed tragedy from the group’s past. Chrissie takes the criticism in stride but is hurt to know she didn’t truly know her mother. Eileen and Lily perform in a local church contest that awards the winners tickets to the sacred French city of Lourdes. Despite their old age, they team up with a much younger neighbor in their village, Dolly. Dolly is hoping to win the tickets to be able to find a cure for her son’s inability to speak.
The three women win a giant ham. However, a young boy, who’s friends with Dolly’s son, gives the group his tickets to Lourdes. Filled with excitement about the prospect of fulfilling their dream at such an old age, Lily and Eileen abandon everything to go with their local priest to Lourdes.
While Chrissie is cleaning out her mother’s old house, she finds a note where her mother apologizes for ostracizing her. Also, in the note, is a ticket to Lourdes. Seeing it as an opportunity to reconcile and find peace, Chrissie joins Eileen, Lily, Dolly, and Dolly’s son on their adventure to Lourdes.
However, tensions flare during the trip. Although they are there for a miracle for Dolly, the three old friends will need a miracle themselves to forgive one another for the past.
THE MIRACLE CLUB explores grief, forgiveness and miracles in a compelling, heartfelt way. The lead actresses put up great performances. However, the movie’s opening is sometimes confusing. Ultimately, though, the movie ties up the loose ends quite nicely.
THE MIRACLE CLUB has a strong Christian, moral worldview, in a Catholic setting. In addition to stressing forgiveness, it celebrates the miracles of having a family and everyday life. It also has references to prayer, church, rosaries, the Virgin Mary, and a heartwarming scene about a subtle miracle. However, THE MIRACLE CLUB has several strong obscenities and profanities, plus some irreverent jokes.
