Big Miracle

Set in 1988, and based on the true story, John "He Should Have Gotten a 1988 Hair Cut" Krasinski stars as Adam Carlson - a TV reporter in Alaska who bounces around the state filing human interest stories, who finds the story of a lifetime. At one of the most northern tips of the state, Carlson has come across three California Gray whales trapped under the ice after winter moves in a bit quicker than normal.

Their only way to survive is to continue to bob up and down through one small hole in the ice, since the only other break in the surface is five miles away, which is too far for them to swim without coming up for air. Now, as the story becomes an international sensation drawing the attention of every news organization, Adam tries to bring together a motley crew of people who can help save the whales, including:

His ex-girlfriend, Rachel (Drew Barrymore), who runs the Alaska branch of Greenpeace,

The Communist ruled Soviet Union,

The Reagan White House and staffer Kelly Meyers (Vinessa Shaw),

The Governor (Stephen Root),

The National Guard led by Col. Scott Boyer (Dermot Mulroney),

An oil company tycoon, J.W. McGraw (Ted Danson),

The local Eskimos,

and more.

Will these longtime opponents be able to pull together to save the whales?

Big Miracle is a movie that wins most of us over by being nice about 90% of the time. Director Ken Kwapis brings a light touch, which, mostly, keeps the drama going without hitting melodramatic territory, while writers Jack Amiel and Michael Begler (based on the book by Thomas Rose) provide plenty of different stories to give each character enough attention to make us realize their role in the operation. Sure, everything does get a little too cutesy at times (this IS a Drew Barrymore movie after all), but Kwapis brings us back to where we need to be quick enough.

Surprisingly, John Krasinski is smoother and more comfortable in the leading man role than I have ever seen in his other movies. He is starting to display the confidence you need to carry a movie, especially when his character needs to be the ethical and moral fiber of the story.

Meanwhile, everyone else is fulfilling their supporting role. Barrymore is not in the movie maybe as much as you would think, but gives Rachel enough spunk and avoids giving her too much cuteness. Mulroney is a perfect, sparsely spoken military guy trying to complete a mission and Danson, while sometimes playing the bad guy a bit too comically and with a bit too much evil, does bring the right amount of heart and soul when given a chance.

Big Miracle is rated PG for language