Review by Adam Stephen Kelly
Stars Adam Butcher, Campbell Scott, Gordon Pinsent, Jennifer Tilly, Shauna MacDonald | Written by Michael McGowan
UK Certification 12 | UK RRP £12.99 | DVD Region 2 | Runtime 105 minutes | Directed by Michael McGowan
In life, anything can be forgiven or unforgiven, and as far as movies go, the same applies. You might not forgive a big-budget studio picture for having a poor script penned by an Oscar-winning screenwriter, but would you forgive a film which has faults in the form of cliches that make for a feel-good, inspirational tale? I certainly would, and the Canadian production The Miracle of Saint Ralph is a prime example.
Ralph Walker, played by Adam Butcher, who at certain angles reminded me of a young Jonathan Brandis, is a 14-year-old boy with a life in tatters. Living on his own but pretending to be in the care of his deceased grandparents, and with a mother who slips into a deep coma in the first act of the film, Ralph's everything is turned upside down and it, understandably, begins to affect his schooling. He attends a strict private Catholic school and, although trying hard to be a pure follower of his religion, partakes in smoking to calm his nerves and “sins of the flesh”. Need I say more?
Distraught by his mother's coma, Ralph hears of miracles from one of the priests at his school when he is forced into taking a running class. The mere mention of a miracle is enough to set him off with a fiery, yet obviously naive determination to win the prestigious Boston Marathon at his tender age and thus perform a miracle, all in the hope that it'll wake his mother. What ensues is a truly inspirational and powerful story of a boy's journey that speaks volumes in morality. Like Walt Disney said, if you can dream it, you can do it.
The strength of the film comes in the performances of its stellar cast and writing. Better than his direction is Michael McGowan's script, creating some excellent characters tremendously embodied by the likes of Jennifer Tilly, Butcher and Michael Kanev, who, bespectacled, kind of looked like Corey Feldman back in the '80s.
The conflict of Ralph's intense preparation and training for the marathon lies in his own physical restraints. A weedy teenager, Walker (the irony just seeps out of his surname) has to muster all his strength and intent to overcome obstacle after obstacle on the road to the event, including a bitter headmaster who just does not seem to want him to achieve anything.
The Miracle of Saint Ralph's ending is what I was referring to in the opening of this review when I wrote about forgiving cliches. It is a very derivative conclusion to the story, predictable in every way, but I can't think of another way for it to climax and still retain its joyfulness. I couldn't forgive James Cameron's Avatar for being a glorified retelling of Pocahontas with cookie cutter characters, but with this film I feel that the way it rolls out is the only way it could. Yes, it's a little farfetched, but it's a sweet, moving drama with heart and lashings of comedy that will surely get any viewer in the mood to just get things done.
EXTRAS ★ Audio commentary with writer-director Michael McGowan, behind the scenes featurette and the trailer.