Big Miracle is a 2012 American biographical family drama adventure film directed by Ken Kwapis and produced by Steve Golin, Michael Sugar, Tim Bevan, Liza Chasin and Eric Fellner. The screenplay was written by Jack Amiel and Michael Begler and is based on ‘Freeing the Whales’ by Tom Rose.
Rated: PG (movie contains language)
Run Time: 1h 47min
Release Date: February 3, 2012 (USA)
Genre: Biography, Drama, Family, Romance
Director: Ken Kwapis
Studio: Universal Pictures
Budget: $40 Million
Box Office: $24.7 Million
Big Miracle stars Drew Barrymore, John Krasinski, Kristen Bell, Ted Danson, Dermot Mulroney, Tim Blake Nelson, Vinessa Shaw, Ahmaogak Sweeney, Rob Riggle, Stephen Root, James LeGrus, Andy Daly, John Michael Higgins and Kathy Baker.
Big Miracle is based on the true story of Adam Carlson (John Krasinski), a reporter for a local Anchorage television station who happens to be in Barrow, Alaska doing a series of pieces on the ‘local cultural color‘ of northern Alaska. In October, 1988, while out on the sea ice filming a less than promising piece, he spots off in distance what ends up being three California gray whales – a mother, father and son – who are literally being imprisoned by ice which is rapidly forming and has surrounded them with the earlier than usual onset of winter.
Adam can’t wait to land a job in a bigger market when this story of a lifetime practically lands in his lap. Adam’s piece on the whales not only gets played on his station, but is picked up by news services throughout the States, including national broadcasters, which brings the plight of the whales to the attention of various different groups. Along with the descending media comes Rachel Kramer (Drew Barrymore), an environmental activist for Greenpeace and Adam’s ex-girlfriend. Together, they try to rally an international coalition to save the whales before it’s too late.
Movie Quotes
“Even though they’re big and powerful, they’re so much like us. We’re vulnerable and we get scared. We need help sometimes too.” – Rachel Kramer
“It’s not my first rodeo either.” – Malik
“Are you Mexican? Only at work.” – Roy
“The Governor has basically turned his back on the whales.” – Rachel Kramer
Official Movie Trailer
Movie Stars
Drew Barrymore as Rachel Kramer
John Krasinski as Adam Carlson
Kristen Bell as Jill Jerard
Ted Danson as J.W. McGraw
Dermot Mulroney as Colonel Scott
Tim Blake Nelson as Pat Lafaytette
Vinessa Shaw as Kelly Meyers
Ahmaogak Sweeney as Nathan
Rob Riggle as Dean Glowacki
Stephen Root as Governor Haskell
Jame LeGrus as Karl Hootkin
Andy Daly as Don Davis
John Michael Higgins as Wes Hendrick
Kathy Baker as Ruth McGraw