Kurt Russell's Career-Defining Performance in this inspirational Disney Film

Rating: 8/10 (4 February 2014)

The greatest moment in recent Olympics history was the so-called "Miracle on Ice," when the amateur Hockey team from the U.S. defeated the long time Soviet champions at Lake Placid. The journey was a long and arduous one, with the players being driven to top condition both mentally and physically by coach Herb Brooks. In 2004, Walt Disney Pictures produced a recreation of the events leading up to and including the legendary event, with disgustingly underrated actor Kurt Russell as Coach Brooks. The result is not only a really inspirational but down-to-earth adaptation, but Russell in his career-defining role.
The year is 1980. America is at a low point in terms of spirit and morale. Iran has taken hostages, Gas is running low, and the Soviets seem to be dominating the Middle-East with no one to stop them. To the U.S. Olympic committee, they have no chance to beat the longstanding champions of the USSR, so they decide to give college students the chance to play under Coach Herb Brooks. Brooks is a hard man determined to knock the Soviets off their pedestal, but not for reasons you would think. There is some bad luck to begin with but the team eventually makes it to Lake Placid and begin their legendary game against the Soviets.
What makes Miracle so impressive is the fact that it focuses more on Herb Brooks than it does the team members. Brooks has unfinished business with the Soviets, as he was cut from the 1960 team the week before the games, the only team to beat the Soviets up to that point. He is a rather blunt and mean man who pushes the team to their limits. he makes absolutely no bond with anybody, as he sees this as the way to intimidate his team into performing at their highest levels. But with all this, there is a likability to Brooks that make him all the more three-dimensional, not just a cartoon over-the-top coach.
The key to what I just said and the pure ingredient to what makes the film work is Kurt Russell. Here, he paints the portrait of a hurt and driven man who not only wishes to fulfill some need for vindication, but to give people the joy that was taken from him at the eleventh hour. He also looks the part, with the hair, jowl, and even those silly outfits that were considered to be cool back in the day. This is a great performance, one that I really believe was robbed of an Oscar. Not just a nomination, but a full Oscar win. Russell is Herb Brooks, hands down.
The recreation of the events are also really good. The Soviets aren't portrayed as the bad guys, but the team that they just have to beat for Brooks. They aren't stereotypical Russian bad guys, but people we don't know apart from what we saw on the television screen in 1980. Its strange how one can often forget that this movie was produced by Disney. One would think the movie is schmaltzy and sugar-coated, but this is one of those exceptions. I think the only thing Disney couldn't allow was strong language that may be prevalent in hockey, but we can forgive them for that one.
There has been an argument that there are too many sports movie clichés to be found in this movie. Well, I don't see any of them, except for one. Patricia Clarkson plays the stereotypical housewife who does nothing but complain. I don't watch the scenes with her or I try to mute whatever she says when she talks with Kurt Russell. Other than that, there is nothing to gripe about. I think the reason that critics see them as clichés is because the elements that seem familiar, are actually based on real events and dialog. I never saw this as anything more than history being put onto film with a Hollywood crew and actors. It seems to be and actually is very faithful.
This is a good film. There are some slow spots, and maybe some flaws, but none that were easy to notice or try to notice. Kurt Russell is exceptional, and makes this a must see sports film.