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03/31/2016 12:01 AMRated PG
Based on the real-life memoir written by a Texas mother about her daughter’s extraordinary story of illness and healing, Miracles from Heaven is a new, faith-based film currently in theatres. Christy Beam wrote her memoir by the same name about her daughter Anna’s remarkable story of surviving a 30-foot fall without any serious injury and the only noticeable side effect being her complete healing from what was previously thought of as an incurable disease that had plagued her for most of her young life. The somewhat slow-moving film is a feel-good story about faith and family.
Jennifer Garner (Dallas Buyers Club and Juno) stars as Christy Beam, a devoted Christian and Texas mother of three girls. She and her husband Kevin (Martin Henderson of Everest and Smokin’ Aces), a veterinarian, live an ideal and peaceful life together along with their three daughters Abbie (Brighton Sharbino of Cheap Thrills and Good Ol’ Boy), Anna (Kylie Rogers of Space Station 76 and Finders Keepers), and Adalynn (Courtney Fansler of Girlfriend’s Day and We All Scream).
When Anna starts complaining of stomach pain, Christy is determined to get help for her little girl. The pain intensifies as doctor after doctor either assures Christy that there is nothing wrong with Anna or makes one misdiagnosis after another. Eventually, Anna’s true condition is identified as an intestinal disorder that leaves her body unable to digest food. Around the time that Beams are told that Anna’s condition has no cure, Christy’s faith begins to waver and eventually crumbles.
Determined to find help for Anna, Christy flies the little girl to Boston to see the country’s utmost authority on Anna’s disease, Dr. Nurko (Eugenio Derbez of Instructions Not Included and Jack and Jill) despite the fact that his office is unable to give her an appointment, due to his overwhelmingly heavy existing caseload. Due to her mother’s well-intentioned pushiness and some good luck convincing the right people, Anna eventually becomes a patient of Dr. Nurko’s and he is able to give the Beams some hope for Anna with an experimental new drug.
The film takes viewers on the roller coaster ride that the Beam family is forced to endure as they search for help for Anna and attempt not to give up hope despite the fact that they endure many setbacks along the way. Finally, when it seems that the very best they can do for Anna is to try to help her feel comfortable, she is miraculously cured from all symptoms of her diagnosed disease after she falls 30 feet into a hollowed out tree on her family’s property, landing on her head.
Medical professionals were mystified by Anna’s lack of injury from the fall and even more so by her sudden clean bill of health. She shared with her family her account of what happened immediately following her fall and the family gave all of the credit to a miracle she was granted by a higher power.
Naturally, much attention was brought to Anna and her entire family after their claim of a miracle began circulating throughout their Texas town and beyond. Many people applauded the apparent miracle, while many others attempted to dispel their story as fiction.
Much like the public’s original reaction to the Beams’ story when it earned national headlines in 2011, the film version of their story, Miracle from Heaven, is not for every moviegoer. Miracles from Heaven is a wholesome film that will undoubtedly touch the hearts of many viewers, but many others may end of feeling suspicious of the Beams’ story, as well as the agenda that may be perceived as being pushed by the filmmakers.
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