Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong
The Miracle Season is based on the true story of best friends quiet Kelly (Erin Moriarty) and fearless Caroline ‘Line’ Found (Danika Yarosh) who have done everything together since they were children. Now in high school, the two are on the volleyball team where Caroline is the setter. One night after leaving a volleyball gathering, Caroline leaves on a moped to see visit cancer stricken mother in the hospital. On her way she gets hit by a car and dies. To honour their best friend’s early passing, Kelly and the rest of the volleyball team try to win the first ever consecutive state volleyball championship.
The Film shows the effect that Caroline had on everyone she came in contact with and how those people chose to give back to her after her death. It has many themes such as friendship, familial love and determination. It’s also an underdog story because Kelly who was the volleyball player that was pushed to the side, but then becomes the setter. Yet, the Film has an unnecessary love story that feels forced. The Film works best as an experiment in grief. Every character has a different level of grief and works through their grief differently. This could easily turn into a soap opera but Director Sean McNamara takes great care to root this grief into reality. And the entire Cast of actors show heartbreaking, raw emotion.
The standout is William Hurt as Caroline’s father, Ernie. Using subtle movements and bursting acts of passion he projects Ernie’s pain onto the audience. Then there’s Moriarty who emphasizes with Kelly and delves into the darkest parts of grief, resulting in a heart-rendering performance from the upcoming actress. Helen Hunt is also great as tough volleyball coach, Kathy Bersnahan. She plays the opposites of who Kathy is: the tough coach that pushes her athletes to their limits and is desperate to win the first ever consecutive state volleyball championship, and also the grieving teacher who was inspired and touched by the full-of-life Caroline.
Overall, The Miracle Season works best as a study of grief and pays tribute to the tragic death of a talent gone far too soob, Caroline ‘Line’ Found.
Elevation Pictures release THE MIRACLE SEASON on Friday, April 6, 2018.
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