By Liz Lopez
Rating: B+
The book by Christy Wilson Beam, Miracles from Heaven: A Little Girl and Her Amazing Story of Healing, is a memoir about her daughter, Annabel, and their family as they navigate their way through a medical ordeal that is life threatening. The production team of Heaven is for Real presents the faith based feature film, Miracles from Heaven, based on Mrs. Beam’s story. Jennifer Garner portrays the mother who struggles to keep her faith as she faces a challenge to locate a medical doctor to find a cure for her middle daughter, Annabel (Kylie Rogers), who finds comfort in her faith.
Faith-based movies are at times not the first pick by fellow critics for viewing and reviewing for their sites. I find that Miracles From Heaven is both entertaining and delivers the intended message for the faith-based audience. It has an excellent story and very good performances by the adults and children in the film, despite learning the whole story from the trailer.
Annabel has a rare digestive disorder and after various consults with doctors in Texas, a medical doctor recommends a specialist in Boston. Despite going deeper into debt, Mrs. Beam takes a flight out of state to try to get her foot in the door for a consult with the specialist (played by Eugenio Derbez). Garner portrays a relatable convincing and concerned parent. While in Boston, they meet a friendly waitress, portrayed by Queen Latifah, who takes them under her wing to show them the sights. She does so in a very humorous way, but not at all slapstick. She gives them an opportunity to get their mind off the troubles they face and it is a good relief from the hard scenes of a child in pain. Kylie Rogers definitely will garner many fans with this performance despite she has been seen in other film and television work.
There is only a couple of times in the film that the music was a bit louder than I thought necessary, but it is only a minor detraction from the scene it is intended for.
Miracles from Heaven arrives in time for the Easter holiday and is not a bad choice to watch as family gathers for the holiday, or if only to view the female leads in this film who deliver performances you want to watch and directed by Patricia Riggen.