alexvargas7935 Absolutely touching movie devoid of sentimentality, clichés, and the "safe" topics sometimes found in family movies. I didn't realize I'd like it so much. Eddy Martin sings beautifully and shows great depth in his portrayal of a boy in search of his father.I like the the very real flavor of the town. The non-glamorized actors seem to be cast perfectly for each character. No single character, with the exception of the "chosen one" were overacted, and even in that case, it's arguable since the extra emotional character of that role called for a little bit of "overacting" -- she cracked me up. The role of the sheriff was highly interesting -- he's not oversimplified as a simple man of the law with no compassion; instead, he plays a kind of "villain" to a young boy's life in his effort to follow the law and preserve a small town, yet goes home every night and literally spoon feeds and cares for his dying, frail, mentally lost mother.

j2jensen My friends and I were pleasantly surprised by the quality of this movie. Character development was strong, and it was very interesting to get to know each of the characters, to understand their history and mentality, and to see similarities between the characters in the movie and the people I know. As I came to relate to each of the characters in their own way, watching how each of them were shaped by the goings-on in the small town was a thought-provoking experience. It was a deeply enriching movie, and I found myself thinking about the movie quite a bit over the next few weeks after I saw it.I also was very impressed by how clean and family-friendly it was. I don't recall much swearing, except for maybe a couple of "Jesus"'s. Although some of the interpersonal drama was a little intense, there are no sex scenes or anything provocative. I was really impressed that none of the characters were glamorized or unbelievably good-looking. That made the story easier to believe, and makes me feel better about impressionable kids and teens watching it and learning from it.The acting was generally very good, the camera directing was beautiful, and the only reason I'm giving it a 9 is because of a cheesy line near the end that was intended to make a jab at journalism and went overboard. Apart from that, watching The Maldonado Miracle was a purely positive experience.

fkerr Sometimes, films exist outside the formulas. Sometimes, they can make the viewer uncomfortable. The Maldonado Miracle fits both categories. It deals with United States/Mexico border issues with frankness, and that makes many very uncomfortable. Then, it moves into religion and raises questions like: What is a miracle? How different people react is extremely interesting. The viewer must consider some basic issues in his or her own faith, something else that most are not comfortable with. Yet, these issues are what makes this film well worth viewing.

alkhemy I saw this movie on Showtime, because my wife wanted to see it. I like Selma Hyek's acting, but I wasn't especially interested in the story - or what I'd heard about it. Imagine my surprise when I found myself thoroughly enjoying the film.The acting from the main characters was understated, and perfect for the story. The cinematography was beautifully competent, and the set design was exquisite - Showtime showed behind-the-scenes snippets before and after the movie, and the brilliance that was displayed in creating such believable sets on such a small budget (often from the ground up)was nothing short of a miracle itself.All in all, I enjoyed this movie far more than I expected to, and I think the director and her crew show much promise.