Actress Salma Hayek makes her directorial debut with this heartwarming drama based on the novel by Theodore Taylor. José (Eddy Martin) is a young boy from Mexico who sneaks into the United States in search of his father, a migrant worker. On the run with an injured arm and looking for a place to rest, José sneaks into a church in San Ramos, CA, and hides in a scaffolding above the pulpit. Blood from José's arm drips onto a statue of Christ, and the next morning when Josephina (Soledad St.
Hilaire), a devoted member of the congregation, arrives for her daily prayers, she's convinced that the plaster figure is weeping tears of blood. Father Russell (Peter Fonda), the parish priest, isn't sure if this is a genuine miracle or not, though given the town's financial woes and his own waning faith, the timing would be good for one. As Father Russell tries to determine just what has happened, Josephina begins spreading word of the miracle, as and the story spreads, it becomes increasingly embellished. Soon curious believers and intrigued skeptics flood San Ramos, boosting the town's sagging economy, with Maisie (Mare Winningham), proprietor of the local cafe, one of the prime beneficiaries. Maisie, however, has also discovered and taken in José, and when she and her friend Cruz (Ruben Blades) learn the truth about the weeping statue, they're unsure if they should tell the townspeople just what has happened. The Maldonado Miracle was produced for cable television broadcast in a partnership between Hallmark Productions and the Showtime premium cable network. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
I got a chance to sit down and watch this movie again with my Mom. This is really a hidden gem of a movie that many people have not seen. It was directed by Salma Hayek who did a great job and made the film feel authentic and not corny. The film could have been preachy about immigration issues or they could have
dealt with some of the religious issues or views in a very thin way. However, Hayek and the script deal with the subject matter in a very balanced manner and really capture the feeling of the people and the small town. The movie does a great job in fleshing out some of the characters and making them more complex than just having a mean racist sheriff or the town bad boy/greedy opportunist. The actors take their roles and make them great. There is a bit of humor and levity. The movie is not too serious, but it is serious enough. A great movie all around and one I could watch many times. That's why I have it on DVD.
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