recommended

Crappy film

The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

A film with more than the usual spoiler issues. Talking about it in any detail feels akin to handing you a gift-wrapped present and saying, "I hope you like it -- It's a thriller about a diabolical secret experiment."

The story of the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team is a perfect example of what can be accomplished with the right frame of mind. Having missed out on the chance for a metal as a player, the great Herb Brooks took hungry college hockey players and forged them into a great team. All the while he chipped away at the unbeatable facade of the Russians, using their own pride against them. The style of hockey employed has made it's way into the NHL and you can routinely see skilled teams lose to clubs who work harder. Will beats skill, as they say. More importantly, Miracle isn't just a hockey story. At a dark period in American history, the country found out just how much hope can be made when someone steps forward and gives you something to believe in. That is one of my favorite moments in this documentary, when one of the hostages from Iran admits that when he watched the video prepared to show him what he missed in captivity, it was a hockey game that excited him the most, because it looked like fun.

I saw this for the first time today. I was 11 years old in 1980 so I have some recollection of this game. At the time, I remember my parents worrying about how much gas was costing, hearing about the hostages each night, and an inept President Carter. I didn't realize what a really big deal this was because I didn't fully realize how truly evil the USSR was. This was truly a monster upset and by far the most historic sporting event. Most non-sports fans probably have a passing interest in big events such as the Super Bowl or the World Series, but this one tops them all. The young men on that team won a gold medal and we were proud to be Americans again. Truly a national victory.

Does anyone know the name of the song that runs over the ending credits? I believe it's a Neil Young song, but am not sure.I just saw this (for the 15th time) on HBO yesterday. And for the 15th time I ended up teary-eyed, blubbering like a little kid.HBO has produced some fine sports documentaries, but this is, by far, the best one it has ever filmed. The interviews were all excellent with sound bites galore throughout the entire film. Jack O'Callahan's comments near the end about his realization that the team would disband and would never be in tact again was extremely poignant. Even the Soviet guys interviewed very well. The journalist (Igor Kuperman) was particularly funny.Anyway, this is a must-watch for anyone who hasn't seen it yet. Thank you.

This is one of those documentaries that starts out with that old jingoistic patriotic "Go America!!" feel, only to prove that that feeling is genuine in most of us. This remarkable film is second only to the event itself! And the US Olympic Hockey Team's triumph is in my opinion the second greatest upset in the history of all team sport. The biggest, of course, is the 1950 World Cup Final round when Uruguay defeated a HEAVILY favored Brazil in Rio to take the trophy.