Netflix’s ‘Blue Miracle’: It’s Fun, Very Blue & Utterly Predictable

Last updated on: May 27, 2021 at 8:00 pm by Kate O'Hare

Netflix’s ‘Blue Miracle’: It’s Fun, Very Blue & Utterly Predictable 2021-05-27T20:00:06-08:00 Kate O'Hare

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

(L-R) ‘Blue Miracle’: Steve Gutierrez as Tweety, Anthony Gonzalez as Geco, Isaac Arellanes as Wiki, Nathan Arenas as Hollywood, Dennis Quaid as Captain Wade Malloy, Jimmy Gonzales as Omar, Miguel Angel Garcia as Moco in Blue Miracle. Cr. Carlos Rodriguez/NETFLIX © 2020

Very little happens in Netflix’s Blue Miracle, available now, that should surprise anyone — especially anyone who follows today’s faith-based movies. But that doesn’t mean it’s not fun to watch.

Blue Miracle is loosely based on the true 2014 story of a ragtag team of first-time fishermen from Casa Hogar, a financially strapped, hurricane-ravaged charitable home for orphan boys in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. The orphans and their caregiver enter the prestigious Bisbee’s Black & Blue Marlin tournament, aiming to win the $250,000+ first prize.

I’m not going to say if they prevailed, but allow me to assure you that the tone of this movie ensures that the outcome is never really in doubt. It’s every underdog sports movie you’ve ever seen, except with fishing poles instead of balls, and an ocean instead of a field or a court.

Speaking of ocean, director and co-writer (with Chris Dowling) Julio Quintana — a protégé of Terrence Malick — captures the waves at their bluest, and then proceeds to liberally sprinkle all shades of the color blue throughout nearly every scene.

Built on the bare bones of the original Casa Hogar story, the film spins out a family-friendly yarn featuring a grown-up orphan (Jimmy Gonzales) with a troubled past (involving water), a gruff and grizzled American fishing-boat captain (Dennis Quad), a passel of orphans with cute nicknames and contrasting personalities, and a beaten-up boat.

If you’re getting Jaws vibes, fear not, there are no shark attacks, but at one point, everyone starts comparing scars.

One upside, the orphanage story does highlight the gritty, dangerous, impoverished reality of the streets just outside Cabo’s luxury resorts, which many tourists no doubt avoid.

It is rather puzzling, though, since this is a story set in Mexico, and almost all the characters are Mexican, that the dialogue is a mix of mostly English and a little Spanish — even when no native English speakers are in the scene.

God and prayer get mentions, but no priests, nuns or pastors wander through at any point, so the more secular members of the family won’t get cranky.

I will say, though, that in a TV-movie world dominated by female-driven storylines, it was downright refreshing to see two different but equally masculine leads and a bunch of teen boys in an adventure story that tugs at heartstrings without dissolving into excess sentimentality.

Blue Miracle is fine for the whole family and might even encourage the current and would-be anglers in the family to dust off the rod and reel and hit the water.

Subscribe to all that I write at Authory.com/KateOHare

About Kate O'Hare

Based in Los Angeles, Kate O'Hare is a veteran entertainment journalist, Social Media Manager for Family Theater Productions and a rookie screenwriter. You can read more about the author here.

Previous Post

May 8, 2021

Raymond Arroyo Just Wants to Tell You a Story

Next Post

June 6, 2021 'Father Stu': Two Who Knew the Real Man Behind the New Mark Wahlberg/Mel Gibson Movie

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category books breaking news digital media Faith practice food interview jane the virgin media movies music NFL Pope Francis Showbiz 101 social media sports technology television Uncategorized video

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz