The healing power of time is put to the test in Thaddeus O’Sullivan’s The Miracle Club, a generational story about a group of women who confront their pasts together on the road to forgiveness. The film stars Laura Linney, Kathy Bates, and Dame Maggie Smith, a dream trio whose collaboration itself feels like a miracle. It’s not often enough that you get to watch older actresses in Hollywood work alongside each other in a film.

When it comes to 2023 releases in particular, The Miracle Club is one of a handful of films that presents a gem of an opportunity. 80 for Brady (starring Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, Sally Field, and Rita Moreno) and 2018’s Book Club sequel Book Club: The Next Chapter (starring Fonda, Diane Keaton, Candice Bergen, and Mary Steenburgen) are all about friends having fun. Though twee as the films can be, watching these legends on screen is what makes the journey worthwhile. The Miracle Club is no different in that respect. There’s only so much that Linney, Bates, and Smith can do to elevate overly sentimental material. But their star power brings charm, poignancy, and sources of reliability to a film that needs such qualities to work. 

Directed by O’Sullivan and written by Joshua D. Maurer, Timothy Prager, and Jimmy Smallhorne, The Miracle Club has the familiar beats of a feel-good inspiration story. Set in 1960s Ballyfermot, Ireland, the film begins with a day-in-the-life of three women — Eileen (Bates), Lily (Smith), and Eileen’s daughter Dolly (Agnes O’Casey). Having never left the outskirts of Dublin, they are rooted in a sense of familiarity and loyalty. But they do share in one dream that would take them someplace new: to win a pilgrimage to the sacred town of Lourdes in southern France. This ticket of a lifetime was also yearned for by their friend Sheila, a posthumous character mentioned in the dialogue, but not featured in any flashback scenes. 

The beginning of the film introduces Chrissie (Linney) arriving late to her mother Sheila’s funeral service in Ballyfermot. Upon hearing that Sheila’s friend Lily had paid for the flowers, Chrissie decides to visit the friend group in town, much to their chagrin. Lily and Eileen carry palpable resentment towards Chrissie for unknown reasons that the film smartly builds on. This decision to gently antagonize Chrissie evokes mystery around the character and becomes a catalyst for exploring heavy themes. As the film progresses, you come to learn the history behind why she had left town 40 years ago. She returns to Ballyfermot with the intention of burying the past once and for all. But hurtful memories come flooding back instead, and she learns she and her mother were more connected than initially thought. 

The group of women are brought together by the sacred presence of Saint Bernadette in Lourdes, a town known for granting miracles and making dreams come true for its faithful visitors. Each of the characters carry a personal motivation for embarking on the journey. Dolly is searching to help her son Daniel (Eric Smith), who has not spoken a word since he was born. Eileen is concerned about a potential illness. Lily carries pangs of regret following the death of her son. After winning pilgrimage tickets through a local talent show, they are one step closer to spiritual healing. So too is Chrissie, who claims a ticket her mother had left behind; a parting gift of reconciliation from the grave. 

The film’s quaint setting of Ballyfermot makes the picturesque town of Lourdes feel all the more miraculous, like a faraway dream come true for the characters. Their wishes for inner healing are tied to a town that promises divine intervention to anyone who makes the journey there. But as they are forced to reconcile old wounds, they realize it’s not so much the place itself that has transformative power, it’s the journey. As Ballyfermot’s local priest (Mark O’Halloran) advises to Eileen, “You don’t come to Lourdes for a miracle. You come for the strength to go on when there is no miracle.” This pilgrimage reminds the characters to look inward for closure. In doing so, they are able to work through life experiences that have haunted them.

Through discovering grudges and secrets the characters have held onto for decades; the film builds toward some heavy emotional revelations. Laura Linney’s character in particular has the biggest arc of the story. As the outsider of the group, Chrissie finds herself in a place she never thought she’d return to. Despite telling herself she has moved on, she subtly searches for ways of reconnecting to her past life. Linney brings remarkable layers to this character. She once again reminds you why she’s one of our all-time greats. Whether it’s an emotionally charged line delivery or a warm glance of empathy, her screen presence shines. Her work, alongside delightful performances from Bates and Smith (doing very endearing Irish accents), makes The Miracle Club a memorable experience despite its flaws.

While the story explores resonating themes on paper, the overly sentimental direction often undercuts scenes of heightened drama. The most devastating scene in the film, which involves all of the central characters and is a prime example of wonderful acting doing the heavy lifting, falls a bit flat in an attempted balance of different tones. The overall story is broadly told, lacking nuance to enrich the characters, and yet there is something about The Miracle Club that puts you at ease. Confronting the past has never been as breezy a watch as this. The film’s comforting impact speaks to just how pleasing it is to watch an incredible trifecta of actresses, decades into their careers, continuing to shine on screen. 

Grade: C+

Oscars Prospects:
Likely: None
Should be Considered: None

Release Date: July 14, 2023
Where to Watch: In Select Theaters