The feel-good dramatic movie Miracle is more than a story of the underdog American hockey team that defeated the seemingly invincible Russians in 1980 Olympics. 

It is also about coach Herb Brooks, the tough, sadistic and often unpredictable man who was very good at playing mind games. His greatest triumph was the creation of an unlikely and cohesive team that succeeded brilliantly in a period when American morale was sagging because of Iranian hostage crisis and the Soviet incursion into Afghanistan.

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Kurt Russell, who brings out effectively the various facets of Brooks, makes the film more than a sports movie which at times looks like a simplistic exercise in flag-waving.

Despite some fine action shots and solid performances -- including one by Oscar nominated Patricia Clarkson (Pieces Of April), who plays Brook's wife and Noah Emeriti, who plays the assistant coach -- the film suffers because we hardly get to know the mind of Russian players. While scriptwriter Eric Guggenheim is too busy to set the film in the political context of 1980, he has sadly failed to offer significant insights into the lives of the seemingly undisciplined American college students who soon become cynosures of their countrymen.  

Yet, Disney, which scored solid hits with Remember The Titans and The Rookie, seems to have another sports movie hit in Miracle. The film opened to an encouraging $19.4 million over the weekend and was the second highest grossing film in North America.

Russell, who gained over 30 pounds to look realistic, and learnt Brooks' Minnesota accent, has successfully tried to get inside the coach's soul. Brooks, an adviser to the film, died last year in a car crash before filming was completed.

Brooks sets out to create a crew from mostly amateurs who can play the same 'fluid, creative' style of hockey as the Soviets. Hired less than a year before the Olympics, he haunts, drives and inspires the young men, even while yelling at them: 'Common men go nowhere.'

As portrayed by Russell -- a career defining performance that might have won an Oscar nomination had the film released towards the end of last year -- Brooks is an enigmatic, tough and antagonistic character who is not without humanity. Russell is splendid throughout the film but he is particularly effective when he walks away from the rink to savour his victory alone.

Most of Miracle's hockey players are not trained actors. Reviewers who are familiar with hockey have noted that the film looks authentic because of their presence.

CREDITS
Cast: Kurt Russell, Patricia Clarkson, Noah Emmerich, Sean McCann and Kenneth Welsh
Direction: Gavin O'Connor
Writer: Eric Guggenheim
Running time: 2 hours, 15 minutes
Rating: PG for language and rough sports.
Studio: Disney