Expecting a Miracle
Encyclopedia
Expecting a Miracle is a Hallmark Channel
original movie that premiered Saturday, January 10, 2009. The movie stars Jason Priestley
, Teri Polo
, and Cheech Marin
. It is directed by Steve Gomer, and is based on the short story The Miracle of Dommatina by Ira Avery.
) and Donna (Teri Polo
) Stanhope are a young married couple living in L.A. who are trying to conceive a child. When they discover they are unable to have children due to medical issues, their marriage begins to crumble. They decide to go on vacation and wind up stranded in a small village in Mexico (the fictional town of Dommatina) due to car troubles. They meet the charming young boy Pepillo, who was crippled in an accident years before that also killed his parents; Pepillo's adult brother Juan, the village mechanic; Magdalena, Juan's fiance, who also takes care of the village children; and Father Arturo, the village priest who is helping prepare the "flying machine" for the upcoming fiesta.
Juan tries to fix the car, but the parts he must order are slow to arrive. In the meantime, Pete helps Father Arturo prepare for the annual fiesta, which is to occur in just a few days' time. The main event of the fiesta involves a rickety old lever and pulley system wherein one lucky village child can "fly" around the plaza square. The source of the tradition dates to the village's local saint, who was said to have come to Dommatina many years ago and have been befriended by a young crippled boy when no one else would speak to him. As thanks for his kindness, the saint turned the boy into a dove, who flew around the plaza square three times, and then turned him back into a boy. Upon resuming human form the boy was miraculously cured. It is Pepillo's turn this year to fly, and he confides in Pete his belief that the saint will also cure him after his flight.
Trouble ensues when the flying machine breaks just two days before the event. Pete comes through with his engineering skills and builds a new safer machine. He even sacrifices the car part that had finally arrived so that a crucial central axis part will work. Pepillo gets his chance to fly. Pete and Donna worry about how disappointed Pepillo will be when he is not cured after his flight, and they agree to use their fertility treatment money to pay for a doctor and surgery for Pepillo instead.
However, during the flight Pepillo urges Father Arturo and a local villager to make the flying machine go faster and higher, straining it beyond its capabilities. Pepillo crashes to the ground and hits his hip on the statue of the saint. When he comes to, his leg is miraculously cured. Pete and Donna vow that they have just witnessed a miracle---and promise to still bring Pepillo to the U.S. to "make sure his miracle stays a miracle." Upon returning home, Pete and Donna have decided to adopt a child and are filling out paperwork. Although initially Pete did not think that he could love another child as his own, knowing Pepillo has changed him. However, Donna experiences heartburn and takes one last pregnancy test and finds out that against all odds she is pregnant.
named San Judeo who arrived in Dommatina many years ago. When the villagers at the time saw the transient, they rejected him—all except one young crippled boy. As a thanks for the boy's kindness, San Judeo turned the little boy in to a dove. The boy (as a dove) flew around the town square three times, and when he landed he could walk. Every year at the festival the townspeople reenact the miracle by allowing one boy in the village to 'fly,' by way of a poorly-constructed rope and pulley system.
to rank #1 in Prime Time for the day. The movie scored a 2.8 household rating with 2.4 million homes, over 3 million total viewers and more than 4.2 million unduplicated viewers.
Star magazine gave the film one and a half stars, calling it "a goopy feel-good movie," and saying "it's enough to take your mind off how terrible an actor Priestley really is."
Hallmark Channel
The Hallmark Channel is a cable television network that broadcasts across the United States. Their programming includes a mix of television movies/miniseries, syndicated series, and lifestyle shows that are appropriate for the whole family...
original movie that premiered Saturday, January 10, 2009. The movie stars Jason Priestley
Jason Priestley
Jason Bradford Priestley is a Canadian-American actor and director. He is best known as the virtuous Brandon Walsh on the television series Beverly Hills, 90210, a role which catapulted him to recognition in the early 1990s....
, Teri Polo
Teri Polo
Theresa Elizabeth "Teri" Polo is an American actress known for her role of Pam Focker in the movie Meet the Parents and its two sequels, Meet the Fockers and Little Fockers...
, and Cheech Marin
Cheech Marin
Richard Anthony "Cheech" Marin is an American comedian, actor and writer who gained recognition as part of the comedy act Cheech & Chong during the 1970s and early 1980s, and as Don Johnson's partner, Insp. Joe Dominguez on Nash Bridges...
. It is directed by Steve Gomer, and is based on the short story The Miracle of Dommatina by Ira Avery.
Plot
Pete (Jason PriestleyJason Priestley
Jason Bradford Priestley is a Canadian-American actor and director. He is best known as the virtuous Brandon Walsh on the television series Beverly Hills, 90210, a role which catapulted him to recognition in the early 1990s....
) and Donna (Teri Polo
Teri Polo
Theresa Elizabeth "Teri" Polo is an American actress known for her role of Pam Focker in the movie Meet the Parents and its two sequels, Meet the Fockers and Little Fockers...
) Stanhope are a young married couple living in L.A. who are trying to conceive a child. When they discover they are unable to have children due to medical issues, their marriage begins to crumble. They decide to go on vacation and wind up stranded in a small village in Mexico (the fictional town of Dommatina) due to car troubles. They meet the charming young boy Pepillo, who was crippled in an accident years before that also killed his parents; Pepillo's adult brother Juan, the village mechanic; Magdalena, Juan's fiance, who also takes care of the village children; and Father Arturo, the village priest who is helping prepare the "flying machine" for the upcoming fiesta.
Juan tries to fix the car, but the parts he must order are slow to arrive. In the meantime, Pete helps Father Arturo prepare for the annual fiesta, which is to occur in just a few days' time. The main event of the fiesta involves a rickety old lever and pulley system wherein one lucky village child can "fly" around the plaza square. The source of the tradition dates to the village's local saint, who was said to have come to Dommatina many years ago and have been befriended by a young crippled boy when no one else would speak to him. As thanks for his kindness, the saint turned the boy into a dove, who flew around the plaza square three times, and then turned him back into a boy. Upon resuming human form the boy was miraculously cured. It is Pepillo's turn this year to fly, and he confides in Pete his belief that the saint will also cure him after his flight.
Trouble ensues when the flying machine breaks just two days before the event. Pete comes through with his engineering skills and builds a new safer machine. He even sacrifices the car part that had finally arrived so that a crucial central axis part will work. Pepillo gets his chance to fly. Pete and Donna worry about how disappointed Pepillo will be when he is not cured after his flight, and they agree to use their fertility treatment money to pay for a doctor and surgery for Pepillo instead.
However, during the flight Pepillo urges Father Arturo and a local villager to make the flying machine go faster and higher, straining it beyond its capabilities. Pepillo crashes to the ground and hits his hip on the statue of the saint. When he comes to, his leg is miraculously cured. Pete and Donna vow that they have just witnessed a miracle---and promise to still bring Pepillo to the U.S. to "make sure his miracle stays a miracle." Upon returning home, Pete and Donna have decided to adopt a child and are filling out paperwork. Although initially Pete did not think that he could love another child as his own, knowing Pepillo has changed him. However, Donna experiences heartburn and takes one last pregnancy test and finds out that against all odds she is pregnant.
Cast
- Jason PriestleyJason PriestleyJason Bradford Priestley is a Canadian-American actor and director. He is best known as the virtuous Brandon Walsh on the television series Beverly Hills, 90210, a role which catapulted him to recognition in the early 1990s....
as Pete Stanhope - Teri PoloTeri PoloTheresa Elizabeth "Teri" Polo is an American actress known for her role of Pam Focker in the movie Meet the Parents and its two sequels, Meet the Fockers and Little Fockers...
as Donna Stanhope - Shalim OrtizShalim OrtizShalim Gerardo Ortiz Goyco is a singer/actor. He is the eldest son of Puerto Rican entertainer Elin Ortiz and his wife, the Dominican singer, television presenter, and actress Charytín Goyco.-Television:...
as Juan - Rebeka Montoya as Magdalena
- Cheech MarinCheech MarinRichard Anthony "Cheech" Marin is an American comedian, actor and writer who gained recognition as part of the comedy act Cheech & Chong during the 1970s and early 1980s, and as Don Johnson's partner, Insp. Joe Dominguez on Nash Bridges...
as Father Arturo - Kevin Hernandez as Pepillo
The Miracle of Dommatina
An annual celebration in the village commemorates the fictional "Miracle of Dommatina." The miracle is part of the legend of a saintSaint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
named San Judeo who arrived in Dommatina many years ago. When the villagers at the time saw the transient, they rejected him—all except one young crippled boy. As a thanks for the boy's kindness, San Judeo turned the little boy in to a dove. The boy (as a dove) flew around the town square three times, and when he landed he could walk. Every year at the festival the townspeople reenact the miracle by allowing one boy in the village to 'fly,' by way of a poorly-constructed rope and pulley system.
Reception
Expecting a Miracle ranked as the #1 cable program of the night, #1 cable movie of the week, and boosted Hallmark ChannelHallmark Channel
The Hallmark Channel is a cable television network that broadcasts across the United States. Their programming includes a mix of television movies/miniseries, syndicated series, and lifestyle shows that are appropriate for the whole family...
to rank #1 in Prime Time for the day. The movie scored a 2.8 household rating with 2.4 million homes, over 3 million total viewers and more than 4.2 million unduplicated viewers.
Star magazine gave the film one and a half stars, calling it "a goopy feel-good movie," and saying "it's enough to take your mind off how terrible an actor Priestley really is."
External links
- Expecting a Miracle on Hallmark ChannelHallmark ChannelThe Hallmark Channel is a cable television network that broadcasts across the United States. Their programming includes a mix of television movies/miniseries, syndicated series, and lifestyle shows that are appropriate for the whole family...