Mary (Bethea) is suffering a crisis of faith since receiving some devastating news, but a mysterious stranger (with an especially angelic voice) brings perspective and hope as her extended family sit down for their first Christmas since the death of her father.
Well-scripted and acted, the film is technically well made (although I spied a boom mike momentarily in the movie's last scene) and not so preachy it's overbearing.
Like other films of its ilk, there's still an occasional unintentional laugh and moment of incredulity at which to temporarily cringe - inviting a total stranger into your house and sending him off to entertain your kids is the basis of a tense thriller, not an innocent family film, but in the spirit of the main message - which I took as 'hope breeds optimism' although it was threatening a more convenient 'ask and ye shall receive' tone at times - let's forgive this inconvenient plot hazard and accept our enigmatic healer is here to do-good.
And good he does; a singer, a botanist, a quarterback, firestarter, healer and maybe a miracle worker as hinted in the film's title.
Bethea is dramatically measured in her mature performance, whilst Burkey as her anxious husband is giving off Jake Gyllenhaal doppelgänger vibes at every camera angle. Varvel although sincere could be unintentionally funny in a somewhat robotic rendition, otherwise Hanson is pretty and Pilachowski suitably comfortable as the man-child younger brother (aka uncle cool to the kids) who's still finding his feet as a responsible adult, attracting venom from his stressed, older sibling.
Neat, economical plot isn't so light it levitates, nor is it too deep to overburden you, just enough good intentions and talent to modestly entertain at the right time of year.
