The Milagro Beanfield War (1988)
Average Rating: 5.9/10
Reviews Counted: 27
Fresh: 16 | Rotten: 11
Arguably Robert Redford's most inchoate work, The Milagro Beanfield War has plenty of beautiful moments, but they don't quite add up to a worthwhile whole.
Average Rating: 5.4/10
Critic Reviews: 7
Fresh: 3 | Rotten: 4
Arguably Robert Redford's most inchoate work, The Milagro Beanfield War has plenty of beautiful moments, but they don't quite add up to a worthwhile whole.
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Movie Info
It's advisable to know from the beginning of The Milagro Beanfield War that "milagro" is the Spanish word for "miracle." The scene is a rundown Hispanic community in New Mexico, bordering a posh housing development. In full control of the local water rights, the powers-that-be are secure in the belief that they'll be able to expand their development without resistance from the locals. No one can foresee that impoverished farmer Joe Mondragon (Chick Vennera), during a burst of frustrated rage,
Mar 18, 1988 Wide
May 31, 2005
MCA Universal Home Video
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Cast
-
Ruben Blades
Sheriff Bernabe Montoya -
Richard Bradford
Ladd Devine -
Sonia Braga
Ruby Archuleta -
Julie Carmen
Nancy Mondragon -
James Gammon
Horse Thief Shorty -
John Heard
Charlie Bloom -
Melanie Griffith
Flossie Devine -
Carlos Riquelme
Amarante Cordova -
Daniel Stern
Herbie Platt -
Chick Vennera
Joe Mondragon -
Christopher Walken
Kyril Montana -
Freddy Fender
Mayor Sammy Cantu -
Robert Carricart
Coyote Angel -
M. Emmet Walsh
The Governor -
Tony Genaro
Nick Rael -
Jerry Hardin
Emerson Capps -
Mike Gomez
Milagro Townsperson -
Basil Hoffman
Governor's Office Staff -
Ronald G. Joseph
Jerry G -
Fredrick Lopez
Milagro Townsperson -
Olga Merediz
Milagro Townsperson -
Alberto Morin
Senile Brigade -
Trinidad Silva
Milagro Townsperson -
Natividad Vacio
Senile Brigade -
Sam Vlahos
Governor's Office Staff -
Ronald C. Frazier
Governor's Office Staff -
Mario Arrambide
Carl -
China Bell
Devine's Friend -
Patricio Chavez
Devine's Friend -
Tom Connor
Dancing Angel -
Margo Cutler
Devine's Friend -
Rudy Fernandez
Milagro Townsperson -
Juanita Nicholas
Devine's Friend -
Gene Ornales
Governor's Office Staff -
Frederico Roberto
Senile Brigade -
Nat Shipman
Devine's Friend -
Eric Treisman
Devine's Friend -
Pablo Trujillo
Senile Brigade -
Eloy Vigil
Senile Brigade -
Lynda Witz
Governor's Office Staff -
Philip L. Mead
Governor's Office Staff -
Jimmy Martinez
Milagro Townsperson
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All Critics (27) | Top Critics (7) | Fresh (16) | Rotten (11)
Redford and company have put a quirky twist on the material, investing it with a quasi-mystical aspect as well as some raw comedy.
Fairly choked with good intentions, whimsy, touches of fantasy, and cardboard liberal stereotypes.
Redford's film sustains a slow mood of simpatico amiability and photographs the landscape with moony or golden washes that are perhaps hard to dislike, but is slain by its adherence to an outdated populist mythology.
The film is very big on sunsets and sunrises. It also has a touristy appreciation for all manner of things folkloric. What it doesn't have is dramatic coherence or backbone.
Corny, you bet. But that's to be admired in an old war horse on the last frontier.
If Redford had left out a few of the waffling, undecided characters and drawn his dramatic lines more strongly, the film might have been a lot more powerful.
This is probably Redford's most complex and cleverly structured directorial effort.
Pokes gently at the funny bone and is sympathetic without becoming sentimental.
Who'd of thought that a battle over water rights would make for such an interesting tale?
Not good. Not bad. Just there.
Forgotten little gem from Robert Redford
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Foreign Titles
- Milagro (FR)


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