by Christine Westwood

Mary’s statue is where Maggie Smith offers flowers in memory of her dead son in the scene that opens the story, on the windswept beach of a 1960s Irish town.

She is there in the Catholic households, and she presides over the grotto of Lourdes, that pilgrimage centre for those seeking a miracle cure at the healing springs, the destination for the women of the ‘Miracle Club.’

There is even a subtle undertone of the statue in Laura Linney’s portrayal of prodigal daughter Chrissie, who returns for her mother’s funeral after a 40 year absence. Her stillness, her detached, compassionate regard for the other characters and catalyst on the other women’s lives, bring echoes of the deity’s presence.

Even more deeply, this is a story of mothers losing children, women struggling with poverty and unreconstructed men, who can only see their wives fulfilling traditional roles.

The cast is terrific, Linney of course, and especially Maggie Smith as Lily, Kathy Bates as the embittered friend Eileen projects an implacable edge of conflict against Chrissie, life and ultimately the church itself, a necessary counterpoint for the story to unfold.

Agnes O’Casey, granddaughter of famous Irish poet Sean O’Casey, plays sweet young mum Dolly, burdened with guilt about her mute son and bringing a counterpoint to the older women who all have history between them. 

A shout out must go to a couple of the male characters, notably Mark O’Halloran as the believably firm but kind Father Byrne, who leads the expedition. Of the husbands left at home, the cliched comedy about their non coping in the absence of women is laid on with a trowel, though Stephen Rea pulls off a nice turn as Eileen’s shambolic husband, who has his own revelations.

The setting of Ireland is gorgeous, the details of costume, Catholic iconography and domestic settings are vividly portrayed in a crisp, natural style by cinematographer John Conroy.

The Ballygar village streets are filmed in the coastal town of Bray in County Wicklow. The pub is central to the low income lives; the talent contest, second prize a side of bacon, is terrific working class comedy.

The trip to Lourdes, filmed in Dublin, is slow paced and stagey. It’s rescued by the dramatic tension of the crossfire dialogue and conflicts between the women.

It’s worth the ticket for Maggie Smith, whose portrayal of elderly Lily takes over the screen, reminding us why she is one of the UK’s most enduring actors. An Irish viewer may disagree, but her accent sounded faultless.

The theme is redemption and healing, making a powerful point about how the weight of unprocessed guilt and grief leave us mired in the past, and how seeking an intervention of some kind, though it may not appear in the way one expects, is needed to break the cycle of suffering.

The film took almost 20 years to make it to the screen, as the screenplay never quite made it to attract the necessary backing until now. Major players, including Smith, maintained their support until the project was finally brought together by Chris Curling along with a raft of English, American and Irish producers.

Director Thaddeus O’Sullivan (a TV veteran who also directed 2000’s Ordinary Decent Criminal and 1990’s December Bride) spoke to The Guardian about how the heart and soul of the story rests with the main female leads.

“What really enthralled me about the story is how three strong characters confront one another and then, by embracing truth, they understand that the miracle they have all been looking for is right in front of them – in the strength of their friendships and unshakeable togetherness.”

The Miracle Club is in cinemas August 3, 2023

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