MIRACLE AT MANCHESTER

US, 2022, 87 minutes, Colour.

Kory Getman, Eddie McClintock, Daniel Roebuck, Dean Cain, Nick Avila, Kathy Patterson, Ella Mae Louise Smith.

Directed by Eddie McClintock.

For almost 20 years, especially with the impetus of Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ, faith films have been very popular in the United States, many travelling beyond the States. Initially, they were very church-focused. In more recent years, church has seemed less important and the focus is on personal faith. Practically all of the films have some kind of evangelical background.

This film, based on actual characters and events, is a Catholic faith film. There are scenes of religion classes, personal prayer, the chaplain and sermons and exhortations, religious devotions – and the setting is a Catholic high school. However, the theology of the film and the focus on Scripture tends to be of the rather literal interpretation, which relates to the more evangelical films.

The film is the story of a young sportsman, baseball and football, full of promise, experiencing dizziness, physical collapse. At first, this is considered normal, even migraine. However, insistence with the doctors, especially on the part of the young man’s father, leads to a diagnosis of a tumour on the brain. Surgery, infections, some deterioration, the possibilities for further surgery.

Kory Getman plays Brycen Newman, the enthusiastic young student. Film director, Eddie McClintock, plays his father, devoted, proud of his son, sceptical about miracles but praying, putting pressure on the doctors. The main doctor is played by Dean Cain. There is a subplot concerning a Vietnam veteran, played by Daniel Roebuck, who fixes cars, charges former veterans minimum prices, has had health problems, and has pressure on him from his wife who works at the hospital, meeting Brycen and his family, learning of a group who visit the sick and urge them to their Best Wish. Brycen wishes for a vehicle – and, the veteran, urged by his wife, gives his prized car as a gift.

While the film plays is a drama about a sick, incurable young man, there is prayer, the chaplain at a sports event leading a huge crowd of students also in prayer and raising their hands and holding them over the sick young man. Soon afterwards, the doctors give a report that the tumour has disappeared. Hence the title of the film.

Brycen Newman and his father were part of this production, giving technical advice, taking on some smaller roles – and providing photos and actual video footage and interviews which are screened during the final credits.

1. A true story? Based on actually characters and events? The characters as technical advisers, small role performances? And the actual footage and photos at the end?
2. A faith film, Catholic background of the characters? Similarities to evangelical faith films? Differences?
3. The American town, family and homes, school, church, religion classes, sports, practice, matches, fans and parents? Hospitals and treatment? Car repairs and garages? The musical score?
4. The story of Brycen Newman, his age, 15, place in the family, bonding with his father, the less presence of his mother, sports, Champion, popular with fellow students, girlfriend? Everything before him?
5. Brycen and his success in the match, the dizziness, collapse, checking out hospital, his parents’ attention, his father’s presence and encouragement? The response of the doctors, offhand, urged to greater consideration? Further collapses, diagnosis, migraine, surgery, brain tumour, infections, the experience in hospital? The doctors and their advice, prognoses? The father and his being upset?
6. The members of the team, support, the girls? The visit of the the group for Best Wishes, his wish for the vehicle, Ed Hanson and his story, health, the concern of his wife, her work at the hospital, his work for veterans, charging them a dollar, his wife’s concern about his health, checking on him, the car, the gift, what it always wanted? His hearing of Brycen’s wish, his wife and her urging, the gift of the car? Brycen and his response?
7. The faith dimension, the father not believing in miracles, yet the scenes of his praying, the religion class in the letter to the Hebrews, the chaplain and his classes, leading the groups in prayer, quoting the letter to the Hebrews, letter of James, the holding out of hands and cures?
8. The efforts made for Brycen, to attend the matches, his special award and receiving it?
9. The sequence at the match, the chaplain leading, the big crowd and their holding out their hand over Brycen?
10. The doctor, the news of the disappearance of the tumour?
11. Brycen and his continued career, and the production of this film is a testimony?