nonconformist The fourth miracle would have been to sit through this thing. Ed Harris is a little old to play the brooding self-absorbed stud priest who has the hots for Anne Heche (of all people). Takes a strong stomach to watch these two make out. Only Hollywood would make a movie about a middle aged foul mouth priest and then cast a lesbian as his flame. The assault on religion is non-stop with the Catholic hierarchy living lavishly and wearing gold chains and big medallions and using foul language. Maybe they were trying to identify with the rap culture? What ever they were trying it didn't work with me. If Ed's character wasn't bad enough Heche's character is also angry and brooding too, I guess it's tough to have a mother who was a Saint. My advice is to skip this turkey.

Peter Heeling The third miracle is a well written tale with a great touch of sentiment. A priest saying G*DD*MN*D is like lung doctor lighting a cigarette, provoking, like a movie of this kind should be. It's meant to leave something to think about, for me it was commitment of an individual priest finding his way in mass traffic between his left and right ear. I enjoy these true emotions or behavior because i believe everyone on earth has a set of weaknesses. I like these true emotions and choices when it comes to mind digging. Surely it's understandable that heavy religious people might be offended -the Archbishop was in the Nazi's army, drove around in a limo like a king and thought he was God himself-, but it's not the bible, I see it as a tale in a Catholic setting.This movie is based on personal choices, activated by a game of chess between animal nature and common sense. Throw in some faith and a time structured plot, have it sequenced very well, put in some great dialogue and moody setting, you will get a well deserved great movie! I recommend this film, it's in a way uplifting. 8/10

ladydolphin This film was a more than pleasant surprise! It had appeared on a cable movie channel..never hearing any publicity on this film..I liked the title so opted to watch! This is the type of film you want to watch over and over! Ed Harris is just magnificient as the priest..and the two scenes in the pic where he questioned his faith..to another fellow priest...and then accuses the Archbishop of playing God is the best acting I have seen displayed in a long time! I do sometimes like movies of a religious or spiritual theme..but this one is different!

Rich La Bonte (flatrich) As a non-Catholic, I'm not sure if I can truly gage the impact of Agnieszka Holland's The Third Miracle. I found it both moving and lacking, but I'd recommend it to those who are wondering about the mysteries of life and the human spirit. I have no idea how the Catholic Church and its membership would feel about it.On a purely human level, the movie is about doubt: Ed Harris is Father Frank Shore, an American priest asked by his Bishop (Charles Haid) to investigate Helen (Barbara Sukowa) an American candidate for sainthood. Along the way, Frank uncovers miraculous deeds, encounters his own doubts about his calling, and eventually seems to believe in miracles.Other main characters have their doubts too: the prospective saint's non-Catholic daughter Roxane (Anne Heche in one of her best performances to date), the stuffy official Vatican investigator Cardinal Werner (Armin Mueller-Stahl), and Maria (Caterina Scorsone), the troubled subject of one of the questionable miracles.Good prerequisites for this film might be Martin Scorsese's film version of Nikos Kazantzakis' The Last Temptation of Christ (1988) and most of Federico Fellini's films, in particular 8 1/2 (1963) and Juliet of the Spirits (1965).Holland lets the Church off lightly compared to Fellini, but she does successfully underscore the pomposity of the cardinals and bishops in their big cars and sparkling vestments. This leads to an essential question about her reasoning and the meaning of film's ending, but I won't give that away: I'll leave that for you to judge.