After directing two Hollywood flops Neil Jordan returned to his native Ireland to make this affecting small-town drama. The Miracle sees him dealing with material that is far more personal; life in a small Irish seaside town, jazz music, the relationship between father and son, and the mysteries of the human heart.
The Miracle – Synopsis
Jimmy (Niall Byrne) and Rose (Lorraine Pilkington) spend their days hanging out and watching as the inhabitants of their hometown go about their business. Both youngsters fancy themselves as writers and imagine stories and dialogue about what may be happening in these people’s lives. Jimmy has been raised by his father (Donal McCann), a talented sax-player who’s been on the drink since his wife died. They get on fine, but their relationship is fraternal rather than paternal and Jimmy is largely left to his own devices.
Jimmy and Rose see a beautiful blonde getting off the train and resolve to find out more about her. Renee (Beverley D’Angelo) turns out to be an American actress performing in a play. Jimmy fancies his chances and Rene seems to show an interest, but she has been here many years ago and seems to know his dad. As their relationship develops Jimmy finds himself learning from the older woman, but not in the way he expected.
The Miracle Sees Neil Jordan Back on Form
Although The Miracle remains one of Jordan’s lesser known works, it proved Jordan still had the gift after failing in Hollywood. Jordan knows this territory inside out having been raised in a similar town by a musician father. By the time Jordan directed his first feature film Angel (1982) he had already published Night in Tunisia, a collection of short stories and The Past, a novel. Both works have recurring themes; the need to remember, the complexities of love, the yearning for things to be different.
The Miracle then is safe ground for Jordan, but this was a place he probably needed to be. High Spirits (1987) and We’re No Angels (1989) remain the weakest films on Jordan’s resume and suggest he was not quite ready to cope with the Hollywood machine. Jordan manages to coax fine performances from newcomers Byrne and Pilkington, while the more experienced McCann and D’Angelo are as reliable as ever. The Miracle was largely ignored by audiences, but Jordan’s next film, The Crying Game (1992)would see him returning to the spotlight.
- The Miracle
- Starring Beverley D’Angelo, Niall Byrne, Donal McCann
- Written by Neil Jordan
- Directed by Neil Jordan
- Year of Release 1990
- Running time 92 minutes
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