BIG MIRACLE

 

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Big Miracle is a family drama starring Drew Barrymore, John Krasinski Dermot Mulroney, Kristen Bell with a great performance from Ted Danson. Directed by Ken Kwapis, the film is based on the 1989 book 'Freeing the Whales' by Tom Rose, which covers Operation Breakthrough, the 1988 international effort to rescue gray whales trapped in ice near Point Barrow, Alaska. The film was released on February 3, 2012. 

 

It's amazing how a true story can capture the hearts of so many people across the world. This rescue adventure tells the tale of a small town news reporter and an animal-loving volunteer who become joined by rival world superpowers to save a family of gray whales trapped by rapidly forming ice in the Arctic Circle.

 

 

Big Miracle grey whale and diver

 

Big Miracle - gray whale and human diver

 

Synopsis

 

Three California gray whales, trapped in a hole in the ice of the Arctic Circle, are discovered by television news reporter Adam Carlson (John Krasinski). Their plight is publicized after he does a feature on them, which he hopes might be his opportunity to move up to a larger TV market. His news story draws international attention and sets into motion a massive effort to free the whales from the ice. He is joined by Rachel Kramer (Drew Barrymore) an outspoken environmentalist, and also his ex-girlfriend.

Drawn into the collaborative rescue work are several normally hostile factions: Inupiat (Inuit) whale hunters, a Greenpeace environmental activist, an oil executive, ambitious news reporters, the National Guard, and politicians at state, national and international levels. Also joining in the effort are two entrepreneurs from Minnesota, who provide de-icing machines to help keep the hole open.

 

With time running out, Rachel and Adam rally an unlikely coalition of Inuit natives, oil companies and Russian and American military who set aside their differences to free the whales. As the world’s attention turns to the top of the globe, saving these endangered animals becomes a shared cause for nations set against in a Cold War, leading to a temporary thaw in diplomatic relations.


 

 

www.everybodyloveswhales.com

 

The official website: www.everybodyloveswhales.com

 

 

 

Cast

 

John Krasinski  as Adam Carlson 
Drew Barrymore  as Rachel Kramer 
Kristen Bell as Jill Jerard, a news reporter 
Vinessa Shaw  as Kelly Meyers 
Stephen Root  as Gov. Haskell 
Ted Danson  as J.W. McGraw
Dermot Mulroney  as Colonel Scott Boyer 
Rob Riggle  as Dean Glowacki 
Michael Gaston  as Porter Beckford 
Megan Angela Smith as Sheena 
Tim Blake Nelson  as Pat Lafayette 
James LeGros  as Karl Hootkin 
Mark Ivanir  as Dimitri 
Andrew Daly  as Don Davis 
Jonathan Slavin  as Roger Notch 
Gregory Jbara   as General Stanton
Tom Clark  as Morton Heavey 
Sarah Palin    plays herself as Sarah Heath, in her sports-casting career


 

Film poster, Big Miracle starring Drew Barrymore and John Krasinski 

 

Big Miracle - advertising film poster

 

 

Production

 

Warner Bros. bought the screenplay by Jack Amiel and Michael Begler in April 2009, and in the following June, Kwapis was attached to direct the film. In September 2010, with Drew Barrymore and John Krasinski cast in the starring roles, filming began in Seward. The movie had a production budget of $30 to $40 million. The film crew constructed sets in Anchorage to resemble places in Barrow during the whale rescue. Filming lasted for 10 weeks.

The film's working title was Everybody Loves Whales, which is a line still heard in the film.

Post-production

 

Visual effects on Big Miracle were created by Rhythm and Hues Studios and Modus FX.

Burger King is now promoting the movie with toys. The MPAA has rated this film PG for language.

Reception

 

Critical responseThe film received generally positive reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes the film currently holds a rating of 74% based on 95 reviews. The site's consensus was: "Big Miracle uses real-life events as the basis for a surprisingly satisfying family drama." Metacritic currently holds a score of 61 based on 28 reviews.

 

With the ice freezing over, the race is on to save the whales

 

With the ice freezing over, the race is on to save the whales

 


Box office (source: Mojo)

 

The film opened with $2,267,385 takings on its opening day, ranking at #4 behind Chronicle, The Woman in Black, and The Grey at the box office. The film grossed $7,760,205 on its opening weekend and remained at the same spot. On its second weekend the film dropped to #8, with $3,946,050.

 

USA

 

Big Miracle

$7,760,205

$3,645

$7,760,205

$40

1st week

 

Big Miracle

$3,946,050

$1,850

$13,281,985

$40

2nd week

 

Big Miracle

$2,263,515

$1,385

$16,707,010

$40

3rd week

 

Big Miracle

$668,805

$1,065

$18,903,580

$40

4th week


Budget  -  $40,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend  -  5th and 10th of February 1012 (depending on location)

 

$7,760,205 (USA) (5 February 2012) (2,047 Screens)

 

Universal pictures, Big Miracle with Drew Barrymore

 

Big Miracle - a Universal picture

 

 

Gross

 

$17,605,685 (USA) (19 February 2012)
$13,281,985 (USA) (12 February 2012)
$7,760,205 (USA) (5 February 2012)

Weekend Gross

 

$2,263,515 (USA) (19 February 2012) (1,634 Screens)
$3,946,050 (USA) (12 February 2012) (2,133 Screens)
$7,760,205 (USA) (5 February 2012) (2,047 Screens)

 

 

Technical Specs

 

Runtime:

Sound Mix: SDDS  | DTS (as Datasat Digital Sound) | Dolby Digital

Color: Technicolor

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Big Miracle official trailer

 

 

 

 

Cameras:
 
Panavision Panaflex Lightweight, Panavision Primo Lenses
Panavision Panaflex Millennium, Panavision Primo Lenses
Panavision Panaflex Platinum, Panavision Primo Lenses

Laboratory  -  Technicolor, Hollywood (CA), USA
Film negative format (mm/video inches)
35 mm (Kodak Vision3 250D 5207, Vision3 500T 5219)
Cinematographic process-  Digital Intermediate (2K) (master format)
Super 35 (3-perf) (source format)
Printed film format  -  35 mm (anamorphic) D-Cinema
Aspect ratio:  2.35 : 1

 

Drew Barrymore diving with the trapped Gray Whales

 

 

Several amazing experiences occur throughout this movie and at the end with the credits rolling. First, this family drama sustains an elevated, compelling appeal over the entire movie that has rarely been obtained in recent memory with any movie using many well edited scenes with excellent pacing.

 

This is one of the best "feel-good" movies in years that depicts a real life event,  focusing on the convergence of polar opposites in political life to merge into a superb animal story with the world caught up in the struggle to rescue a trapped whale family.

This movie is reminiscent of other animal movies such as Free Willy to a limited extent, with strong human performances and solid supporting foundation from the animals they are trying to save. See also:-

 

Never Cry Wolf (1983)

Bless the Beasts and Children (1971)

Fly Away Home (1996)

The Secret of Roan Inish (1994)

The Whale Rider (2002)

 

 

 

Gray whale head surfacing

 

A gray whale surfacing - www.aquariumofpacific.org

 

 

 

LINKS:

 

Official website

Big Miracle

"Drew Barrymore film will be shot in Alaska". Anchorage Daily News 10-6-2010 http://www.adn.com/2010/06/11/1319289/hollywood-comes-to-alaska.html

http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=everybodyloveswhales.htm

"John Krasinski Joins Drew Barrymore in Family Flick 'Whales'"  2010-04-30

"Drew Barrymore To Star In ‘Everybody Loves Whales’"

"Kristen Bell Joining 'Everybody Loves Whales'"  2010-06-25

"Ted Danson and Vinessa Shaw Join 'Everybody Loves Whales'"  2010-11-08.

"Ken Kwapis circles 'Whales' drama" http://www.variety.com/  June 4, 2009

"'Everybody Loves Whales' crew begins filming in Anchorage" Anchorage Daily New http://www.adn.com/2010/09/16/1458225/whales-begins-filming-in-anchorage.html

"Big Miracle Movie Reviews, Pictures – Rotten Tomatoes" Flixster http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/big_miracle/  2012-02-4

"Big Miracle Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More at Metacritic" CBS Interactive http://www.metacritic.com/movie/big-miracle  2012-02-4

http://boxofficemojo.com/daily/chart/?sortdate=2012-02-03&p=.htm

http://boxofficemojo.com/weekend/chart/?yr=2012&wknd=05&p=.htm

http://boxofficemojo.com/weekend/chart/?view=&yr=2012&wknd=06&p=.htm

 

 

 

 

 

A - Z FILMS INDEX

 

 

 

13 GOING ON 30

16 BLOCKS

20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA

A PERFECT STORM

ALIEN

AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH

ATONEMENT

AUSTIN POWERS

BABE

BACK TO THE FUTURE

BATMAN

BIG MIRACLE

BRAVEHEART

BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S

BRIDGET JONES' DIARY

CASABLANCA

CASINO ROYALE

CAST AWAY

CATWOMAN

CHRISTINE

CON AIR

CROCODILE DUNDEE

DEAD CALM

DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER

DIE HARD

DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS

DISCLOSURE

DOLORES CLAIBORNE

DR. NO

DUMB AND DUMBER

ERIN BROCKOVICH

FATAL ATTRACTION

FIRE ON THE AMAZON

FLIPPER

FLY AWAY HOME

FREE WILLY

FRENCH KISS

FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE

GLADIATOR

 

 

GOLDFINGER

HARRY POTTER

HORNBLOWER

INDIANA JONES

JAMES BOND

JAWS

JURASSIC PARK

JUST LIKE HEAVEN

KING KONG

KUNG FU HUSTLE

LEON

MAN ON FIRE

MASTER and COMMANDER

MEAN GIRLS

MEDICINE MAN

MEN OF HONOUR

MISERY

MISS CONGENIALITY

MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY

NAKED GUN

NATIONAL TREASURE

OUT OF TIME

OVERBOARD

PARENT TRAP

PAYBACK

PEARL HARBOUR

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN

PLANET OF THE APES

PRETTY WOMAN

PSYCHO

P2 DEAD MANS CHEST

RACE THE SUN

RAMBO

ROB ROY

ROBIN HOOD PRINCE OF THEIVES

ROBOCOP

ROXANNE

SCHOOL OF ROCK

SCOTT OF THE ANTARCTIC

 

 

SEABISCUIT

SHORT CIRCUIT

SPEED

SPIDERMAN

STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN

STAR GATE

STAR TREK

STAR WARS

THE 39 STEPS

THE AVIATOR

THE COUNT OF MONTE CHRISTO

THE DA VINCI CODE

THE DAMBUSTERS

THE FLY

THE MASK

THE MATRIX

THE MUMMY RETURNS

THE PATRIOT

THE PERFECT STORM

THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS

THE SOUND OF MUSIC

THE TERMINATOR

THE THING

THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH

THE WORLDS FASTEST INDIAN

THUNDERBALL

TITANIC

TOP GUN

TRADING PLACES

TREASURE ISLAND

TROY

TRUE GRIT

UNFORGIVEN

YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE

WAR OF THE WORLDS  

WATERLOO BRIDGE

ZULU

 

 

 

 

 

Ted Danson in Big Miracle

 

 

A - Z ACTORS INDEX

 

 

 

Adam Sandler

Al Gore

Alec Baldwin

Angelina Jolie

Anthony Hopkins

Arnold Shwazenneger

Arnold Vosloo

Ashlea Kaye

Ben Stiller

Brad Pitt

Brendan Fraser

Bruce Willis

Burt Lancaster

Catherine Zeta Jones

Charlize Theron

Chris Cooper

Clint Eastwood

Daniel Craig

Demi Moore

Dennis Hopper

Denzel Washington

Drew Barrymore

Dwayne Johnson

Eric Bana

Eva Green

George Clooney

Gerard Depardieu

Glen Close

Goldie Hawn

Gregory Peck

 

 

Halle Berry

Harvey Keitel

Hugh Jackman

Humphrey Bogart

Ian Holm

Ingrid Bergman

Jack Black

Jack Nicholson

James Caan

James Cromwell

James McAvoy

Jason Statham

Jean Reno

Jeff Bridges

Jeff Daniels

Jim Carrey

Joaquin Phoenix

John Hurt

John Travolta

John Wayne

Johnny Depp

Judi Dench

Julia Roberts

Julie Andrews

Kate Hudson

Kate Winslett

Kathy Bates

Keanu Reeves

Keira Knightley

Kevin Spacey

 

 

Kim Basinger

Kirk Douglas

Kirsten Dunst

Kurt Russell

Leonardo di Caprio

Liam Neeson

Linda King

Linda Kozlowski

Lindsay Lohan

Mads Mikkelsen

Marilyn Monroe

Marlon Brando

Matthew McConaughey

Mel Gibson

Michael Cain

Michael Douglas

Michael J Fox

Michael Keaton

Michelle Pfeiffer

Mike Myers

Morgan Freeman

Naomi Watts

Nicholas Cage

Nicole Kidman

Orlando Bloom

Owen Wilson

Paul Bettany

Paul Hogan

Pierce Brosnan

Rachel Weisz

 

 

Rebecca De Mornay

Reese Witherspoon

Rennee Zellweger

Richard Gere

Robert de Niro

Roger Moore

Russell Crowe

Sally Edwards

Sam Neil

Samuel L Jackson

Sandra Bullock

Sean Connery

Sharon Stone

Sigourney Weaver

Stanley Baker

Stephen Chow

Steve Martin

Steve McQueen

Steven Segal

Slyvester Stalone

Tim Roth

Tobey Maguire

Tom Cruise

Tom Hanks

Tommy Lee Jones

Uma Thurman

Willem Dafoe

Will Smith

Yul Brynner

 

 

 

 

 

Drew Barrymore and a trapped gray whale

 

Drew Barrymore and a trapped gray whale

 

 

 

 

 

 

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