Boring

How wonderful it is to see this fine actress carry a film and carry it so beautifully.

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.

Every time this comes on, and once I catch a glimpse, I have to keep watching. The acting of the two leads, Van der Beek and Karpluk is top notch, and that indefinable certain something between them, Chemistry, is there in spades. You genuinely become invested in them. They play two good people with shadows in their past that is preventing them from being happy and living their best lives. In his case, his grief over the death of his wife is keeping him closed off from his sons and moving on. He has cut music and playing the piano out of his life. In her case, her anger and bitterness with her sister for stealing her fiancé in the worst possible way has kept her from reconciling with her and negatively impacting her whole family. With the help of Doris Roberts and a few strategically placed "miracles", she helps them see their way clear to dealing with their pasts and finding happiness and fulfillment with each other and their families. It never fails to bring tears of happiness.

Doris Roberts gives a wonderful performance as a Mary Poppins like nanny who comes into the life of grieving widower James Van Der Beek and his two twin sons. Her name is Mrs. Merkel but the kids start calling her Mrs. Miracle. And soon a few miracle like events start happening.Van Der Beek is an incomplete person, he tries to play both roles with a series of housekeepers who quit on him. He won't let go of his late wife and refuses to talk to the kids about the mother they don't remember. Through the good offices of his Miracle worker he meets Erin Karpluk who is nursing a broken heart and a grudge against a sister who stole the man she wanted away. You just know that these two people are meant for each other, you just have to provide the right circumstances.Shot in Canada this film was done for the Hallmark Channel and it's one of their better original films. Although you might think at times you're watching a feature film length episode of Highway To Heaven or Touched By An Angel, Mrs. Miracle can stand proudly on its own merits.Definitely for fans of Doris Roberts.

And amazingly, his name is entirely missing from the IMDb credits for the movie! He's not the only focal point. But JAMES VAN DER BEEK has the principal role in this story about a widower who needs a housekeeper who can deal with his two rambunctious boys--and stumbles across romance with plucky ERIN KARPLUK.Both are hurt from their previous romantic encounters and have to find true love through forgiveness and the machinations of a fairy-tale figure who becomes his housekeeper, nimbly played by DORIS ROBERTS.The Christmas program part of the story is the weakest sequence in the whole made-for-TV movie. But because the cast is refreshingly natural (the two boys are excellent), and because James Van Der Beek is exceptionally sincere as the boy's young father (especially in his scenes with Erin), the predictable tale stays afloat because of the charming way it's told.Recommended viewing around the holidays--even if there is an air of deja vu about the whole thing.

Doris Roberts shows up to save the day when a widower whose rambunctious twins terrorize a parade of baby sitters. OK, we've seen a lot of this before. The bratty kids motif is a little old now, but other things going on in this Hallmark offering make for a pleasant diversion.What Christmas movie would be complete without a romance? Erin Karpluk and James Van der Beek have some great chemistry, and each has a past hurt, setting up a mutual healing process that is the primary theme of the movie. Mrs. Merkle (Roberts), when she's not a super nanny, is a match maker, and it soon becomes obvious she has some miracle talents up her sleeve to help everybody out to a happy ending. Think a matronly version of Peter Falk's Angel Max character.While the plot is familiar, the acting is impressive, given this was a made-for-TV movie. The cast make a fine ensemble; scenes such as the first accidental confrontation between the two estranged sisters is handled very well. Issues such as forgiveness and letting go of hurts are dealt with sincerely.A feel-good story; entertaining enough for a stay-in evening.