A Mrs. Miracle Christmas

No one can really replace Doris Roberts, but Caroline Rhea brings her own warmth and humor to the character. This was not the typical Hallmark love story. A family is in crisis and is need of a miracle. Mrs. Miracle! I enjoyed the movie.

I was really nervous for there to be a new Mrs. Miracle in town. Doris Roberts has always been my comfort actress, and while I love Caroline Rhea as well, I know she typically plays cheesy, over-the-top, zany characters.

I was insanely surprised and impressed!

The movie starts out with a twist not typically with Hallmark Christmas movies and gets better from there. Caroline's portrayal of Mrs. Miracle was the warm grandma-like hug I was used to with Doris. The plot is engaging, the writing is great, and the acting is nowhere near what you're used to with Hallmark.

Was it really necessary for Hallmark to bring back the character of Mrs. Miracle who was memorably played by the much loved Doris Roberts ?

After you see this movie, you will probably say yes, it was worth it.

So many things are done right here. First, the writers took Mrs. Miracle and made her younger, snappier, and more charismatic. Second, the story they wrote grabs your attention from the get go and doesn't let up until the end. Plus, the dialogue is, at times, very funny and, at others, very intelligent. People really do talk and act this way in real life. Third, the entire cast is excellent. Caroline Rhea plays Mrs. Miracle with a little humor and a lot of sincerity that is very enjoyable throughout. A few years ago, Hallmark discovered Paula Shaw and she always adds flair and charm to any movie that she is in. Here, as the Grandma in need of a temporary caregiver, she is given a lot to do and, once again, she is a joy to watch. In particular, the banter between her and Mrs. Miracle at the beginning of the movie is sharp, clever, and the actresses are fun to watch. Kaitlin Doubleday and Steve Lund, as the granddaughter and her husband, are excellent as they struggle with Grandma's care and the other issues that life has dealt them. Some of their scenes are so natural and well-played that they are quite moving. Lastly, the direction by Janet Munro is crafty and professional, with production values that are quite attractive. All in all, this is a fun, but engrossing, story that is extremely well written, acted, and produced, some of the best that Hallmark has to offer. A memorable Christmas movie, with really fine performances, that I could watch again.

This Mrs. Miracle episode is just the right mix of Christmas, optimism, and the bittersweet of life. A great treat for this season... for that matter, any season. Caroline Rhea is excellent as the "new Mrs. Merkle" as is all of the rest of the cast.

Miracles don't happen in a flash. They work their way into lives.

The Mrs. Miracle Christmas movies, based on books by mainstream novelist Debbie Macomber, were a cut above typical Hallmark Christmas fare. I was very happy to see a new one in the series with Caroline Rhea taking over the eponymous character. I was not at all surprised that she brought her own comedic talents, warmth and energy to the role. I am certain that this will be a yearly event now that they have their new Mrs. Miracle. And we got an extra bonus with the appearance of her daughter, "Mercy," charmingly played by Jordan Ashley Olsen.

In this one, Mrs. Miracle, comes to the rescue of a school teacher and her husband and the young woman's "Nana" who are all finding it difficult to move forward from grief. Lauren and Will from the loss of their foster child, and Nana from the death of her husband. Lauren also harbors hurt and abandonment issues because of a dead mother and an absent father. Although certain aspects are as predictable as usual, it does avoid some usual Hallmark conventions. For one thing, money is an issue. Lauren and Will started living with Nana because of financial problems. Loss of religious faith is touched on. The big 20-minutes-to-go-in-the-movie conflict over a new foster child is in no danger of escalating because the couple are married and love each other. So they communicate.

Once she settled into the roll, Lauren is ably played by Kaitlin Doubleday who is a dead ringer for a young Kelly Ripa. Steve Lund who is usually in lighter fare, is effective as her husband who is trying to get his wife to look forward and try again. It was not surprising that he was great in this more dramatic roll and they couldn't have cast anyone better than Paula Shaw as the funny, feisty Nana. All three are caught up in the force of nature that is Mrs. Miracle who is a firm believer that "Sometimes we don't know what we need until it is placed right in front of us." It is all capped off with a very satisfying "3 years later" epilogue.