Miracles from Heaven
Film
Review
by Kam Williams
12 Year-Old
Recovers from Incurable Illness in Faith-Based Drama Recounting
Real-Life Miracle
Annabel
Beam (Kylie Rogers) was born in Burleson, Texas where she was raised
by her parents on a farm surrounded by cats, dogs, goats, cows and a
donkey. She enjoyed an idyllic childhood there with her sisters,
Abbie (Brighton Sharbino) and Adelynn (Courtney Fansler), until the
age of 10 when she started experiencing severe stomach pains.
Christy
Beam (Jennifer Garner) rushed her daughter to an emergency room
doctor who snap-diagnosed the malady as a combination of lactose
intolerance and acid reflux. But when his course of treatment for
those conditions failed, the frightened mother next took Anna to a a
gastroenterologist (Bruce Altman) who determined that she was
suffering from an obstruction of the small bowel which called for
immediate surgery.
He referred
them to a highly-regarded physician in Boston specializing in
intestinal disorders. However, Dr. Nurko (Eugene Derbez) had a
nine-month waiting list which meant the little girl was likely to
pass away before the appointment.
Frustrated
by an inability to help her rapidly-deteriorating daughter, Christy
began to question her faith when Anna asked, "Why do you think
God hasn't healed me?" Of course, it didn't help the situation
any when a couple of fellow parishioners had the nerve to suggest
that the affliction might be punishment for sin. In response,
Christy told her husband (Martin Henderson) she was through with
church, at least until Anna was healed.
Desperate
times call for desperate measures. So, Christy decided to show up at
Dr. Nurko's office unannounced and thereby embarrass him into seeing
Anna. While the ploy did work, an MRI, endoscopy and a battery of
other tests essentially confirmed that Anna was not long for this
world and should get her affairs in order.
The two
return home, but not before being befriended by a waitress with a
heart of gold (Queen Latifah) who takes them on a whirlwind tour of
Beantown in her junky jalopy. The prospects aren't very brilliant
for Anna back in Burleson until the fateful day she falls down a
hollowed tree trunk, hits her head and blacks out.
When she
comes out of the coma, lo and behold, her bowels have been
miraculously healed. Furthermore, she proceeds to relate how she had
just visited Heaven and even had a heart-to-heart with her Creator.
That is the
sum and substance of Miracles from Heaven a faith-based docudrama
adapted from Christy Beam's best-selling memoir of the same name.
Directed by Patricia Riggen (The 33), this wholesome family flick
features a touching tale of survival with a measure of Christianity
mixed in.
The Lord
working in mysterious ways designed to elicit an "Amen!' from
believers in the Amen Corner.
Very Good (3
stars)
Rated PG for mature themes
Running time: 109 minutes
Studio: Affirm Films
Distributor: Sony Pictures
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