The Miracle Season parents guide

The Miracle Season Parent Guide

This volley ball movie delivers an entertaining experience to viewers of all ages, along with powerful messages of hope and determination.

Overall A

A high school volley ball team is emotionally devastated after the death of star player Caroline "Line" Found. But under the guidance of their coach (Helen Hunt), the girls rally together to hoping to win the state championship in their teammate's honor.

Release date April 6, 2018

Violence A-
Sexual Content A
Profanity A
Substance Use B+

Why is The Miracle Season rated PG? The MPAA rated The Miracle Season PG for some thematic elements.

Run Time: 101 minutes

Official Movie Site

Parent Movie Review

Sean McNamara (the director of Soul Surfer ) helms yet another top-flight sports movie closely based on a true story. The Miracle Season delivers an entertaining experience to viewers of all ages, along with powerful messages of hope and determination.

Coming off their first win as state champions, the girls on the Iowa City West High School volleyball team may be excited to be back on the court, but they also know how to have fun with their sport. The primary advocate of having a ball while playing the game is team setter Caroline Found (Danika Yarosh), better known simply as “Line”. The effervescent blonde excitedly begins her senior year bouncing about the school’s campus with her best friend Kelly (Erin Moriarty), who also plays on the team.

Contrasting Line’s unabashed enthusiasm is their coach, Kathy Bresnahan (Helen Hunt). Her serious demeanor keeps the girls focused.Yet even when Line’s have-fun-first attitude gets in the way of her priorities, Bresnahan recognizes the young woman is key to keeping the team on a winning track.

Then the unthinkable happens. Riding a borrowed moped, Line leaves a gathering of friends and has an accident that takes her life. Her father, Ernie (William Hurt), a medical doctor who is intimately involved in his daughter’s love for volleyball, is devastated. Adding to his sorrow is the situation with his wife Ellyn (Jillian Fargey). Just a few months earlier, she was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer. And shortly after his daughter’s death, Ellyn also passes away.

Back on the court, Coach Bresnahan isn’t sure how to bring the team back together, let alone play a new season. Yet, she feels the game may be just what her grieving students need – as hard as it may be. Using Line’s legacy for motivation, Bresnahan convinces the girls to return and practice setting up the complicated plays that have made the coach one of the best in the country.

Sports films are often criticized for presenting clichéd stories of comebacks and underdogs. And I’m certain many critics will voice similar distain for this one. However, considering how frequently the movie industry rehashes formulaic screenplays, one with as much authenticity and sincerity as The Miracle Season, deserves its moment on theater screens. The production offers solid performances, amazing volleyball scenes that must have required hours of choreography and a script that holds up to fact checking. (Yes, despite some artistic embellishment, every major moment in this movie really did occur). One of the best family films we’ve reviewed in a while, Caroline Found, her teammates, coach and parents provide inspiring role models that, thanks to this cinematic adaptation, will continue to uplift lives for years to come.

Directed by Sean McNamara. Starring Helen Hunt, Erin Moriarty, Danika Yarosh. Running time: 101 minutes. Theatrical release April 6, 2018. Updated

The Miracle Season
Rating & Content Info

Why is The Miracle Season rated PG? The Miracle Season is rated PG by the MPAA for some thematic elements.

Violence: Characters participate in competitive volleyball play. Discussion occur about a fatal moped accident.

Sexual Content: High school girls wear typical, short gym shorts.

Profanity: None noted.

Alcohol / Drug Use: Adults drink a bottle of beer with dinner.

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The Miracle Season Parents' Guide

Aside from helping with personal fitness, what other benefits do the girls on this volleyball team gain from playing the sport? What other benefits have you seen from amateur sports? How do these benefits contrast with the lives of some sports celebrities?

Coach Kathy Bresnahan wrote a book titled The Miracle Season upon which this movie is based. You can learn more about this impressive woman in the Iowa City West High newspaper.

If you want to learn more about the real individuals depicted in this movie, watch this video from Bryant Bumbel's Real Sports series on HBO:

News About "The Miracle Season"

The movieThe Miracle Season is based on a true story. Learn more about the tragic death of the teen volleyball player Caroline "Line" Found.

Home Video

The most recent home video release of The Miracle Season movie is July 31, 2018. Here are some details…

Related home video titles:

Another sports team rallies after the death of some of their teammates in We Are Marshall. Sean McNamara also directed Soul Surfer and Raise Your Voice.