Movie review: ‘Miracles from Heaven’ (2016) stars Jennifer Garner, Kylie Rogers, and Queen Latifah
Based on a true story.
When a devoted wife and loving mother of three daughters, Christy Beam (played by Jennifer Garner) suffers while watching her 10-year-old daughter, Anna (Kylie Rogers) battle a mysterious disease, she questions her faith in God. Miracles from Heaven (PG) is a gut-wrenching, contemporary drama about a Texas family’s struggle to stay hopeful through an extended medical crisis.
Late one evening, Christy and her husband, Kevin Beam (Martin Henderson) rush to their daughter, Anna’s, bedroom upon hearing her scream. Anna is in pain and has thrown up. After this same thing happens on a few more evenings, they take Anna to the emergency room. The doctor performs some tests and then sends them home, diagnosing it as lactose intolerance.
During the next three weeks, Anna continues to suffer from bouts of excruciating abdominal pain. Several visits to the local hospital don't help. The doctors can't seem to find anything seriously wrong. Christy, Kevin, and Anna’s two sisters, Abbie and Adelynn, can see, however, that Anna is gravely ill. Finally, one doctor confirms that Anna is very sick with a rare and incurable, digestive motility disorder. He prescribes medication, and puts Anna on a complicated, daily maintenance plan.
This doctor also suggests they see a specialist in Boston, Dr. Samuel Nurko (Eugenio Derbez), and Anna is placed on his nine-month waiting list. As Christy witnesses her daughter’s never-ending pain, she pleads with a receptionist at Dr. Nurko’s office to have Anna seen. Heaven’s door opens just a crack when, a few days later, Christy and Anna are called in to see him.
Under Dr. Nurko’s highly-skilled and compassionate care, Anna is placed on a plan to hopefully improve her quality of life. He confirms to Christy that outside of making Anna’s daily life more bearable, there is nothing else he can do. All of this causes both mother and daughter to lost heart and practically give up.
Random acts of kindness from strangers to Christy and Anna, throughout this long, discouraging journey indicate the presence of little “miracles from heaven.” Events soon unfold which God uses to work His greatest miracle yet in Anna’s life, the lives of the entire Beam family, and their community.
Miracles from Heaven is a compelling, inspiring, family-friendly movie. Though it has no objectionable moral or violent content, due to its delicate subject matter, I recommend it for viewing with children ages 10 and up. It’s the kind of film that brings up a discussion about topics such as: life and death, faith, family loyalty, and, where is God when people are suffering?
Jennifer Garner’s moving and dramatic performance as Christy Beam, and Kylie Roger’s touching, sensitive portrayal of Anna Beam are among the many highlights of Miracles from Heaven. Viewers will also enjoy watching the other talented members of the lead and supporting cast, as well as appreciate the film’s realistic dialogue, artistic cinematography and heartfelt musical score.
One of the best and most meaningful lines in this film was said by Christy Beam: “Albert Einstein said there are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle and the other is as though everything is a miracle.”Miracles from Heaven is one among many high-quality, faith-based films that have been produced by independent companies in recent years (from 2000 to the present) which are now receiving mainstream distribution and acceptance, and accolades. Give Miracles from Heaven a try! You'll be pleasantly surprised.
Movie Trailer: “Miracles from Heaven,” starring Jennifer Garner, Kylie Rogers,
and Queen Latifah
Biography/Drama/Inspirational. PG. Appropriate for family viewing. 1h 49 min. Columbia Pictures/Affirm Films, 2016. Check your favorite online streaming service, movie rental source, or the public library for availability.
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Portland, Oregon residents can borrow Miracles from Heaven (2016) on DVD at the Multnomah County Library, tel. 503-988-5234, or place it on hold with the library online.
Author, poet, columnist, and speaker JENNIFER ANNE FABREGAS MESSING of Portland, Oregon, is a wife, and mother of three children. She has a bachelor’s degree in Christian Education and a diploma in Journalism and Short Story Writing. A past president of the Oregon Christian Writers, Jennifer Anne has over 200 articles, short stories, movie reviews, and poems published in 60 magazines and books, including: The Christian Journal, The Proverbs 31 Woman, LIVE, Standard, Bible Advocate, Christian Fiction Online and Nudges from God. Her latest book, EVERLASTING LOVE: Romantic Vignettes for a Woman’s Heart is available in paperback and e-book format from Amazon, Barnes and Noble online, and Smashwords. Visit the BOOKS page of this website to order her books. Copyrighted © 2018 by Jennifer Anne Fabregas Messing. All rights reserved. Contact the author for reprint information. Email: Author@jenniferannemessing.com.
