Big Miracle

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Big Miracle

PG

2012

1h 47m

Adventure

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

74%

Tomatometer

103 Reviews

64%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

Adam Carlson (John Krasinski), a reporter based in a small town in northern Alaska, can't wait to land a job in a bigger market. Then, the story of a lifetime practically lands in his lap: A family of gray whales is discovered near the Arctic Circle, trapped by rapidly forming ice. Along with the descending media comes Rachel Kramer (Drew Barrymore), an environmental activist and Adam's ex-lover. Together, they try to rally an international coalition to save the whales before it's too late.

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Critics Consensus

Big Miracle uses real-life events as the basis for a surprisingly satisfying family drama.

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London Evening Standard

Feb 10, 2012

Ponderously sincere but it does tell a good story.

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Peter Bradshaw

Guardian

Feb 9, 2012

2/5

It is a laborious, sentimental drama featuring a self-parodic performance from Drew Barrymore, based on a TV news event that briefly gripped the US in 1988.

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Martyn Conterio

Little White Lies

Feb 9, 2012

3/5

Much better than the poster or trailer suggests.

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Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

Aug 19, 2022

2/5

Throw in the cheesy dialogue, boring caricatures, and uneven direction and you have a movie that fails to execute even with the good story it has to work with.

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Richard Crouse

Richard Crouse

Jan 31, 2021

3/5

No great answers are provided and most everything is painted in broad family friendly strokes, but the film has heart and in this case that goes a long way.

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Abbie Bernstein

Assignment X

Feb 6, 2019

B

There is some sorrow in Big Miracle, but there is, per the title, great joy as well. But perhaps the biggest miracle in the film is that, no matter what you believe, you won't come out of the movie feeling lectured or dismissed.

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Mitchell S

@Mitchstur Sep 10, 2026

It's a cute reimagining of the true story of the world coming together to save these whales!

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Sharang L

@Scribe187 May 12, 2026

It's the kinda movie that's impossible to dislike even when you know that it's almost artless emotional manipulation at work. The true events that the movie is inspired from add to its likeability.

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thiago S

@Thiagostone Mar 16, 2026

Filme fraco, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas são fracas, a história é fraca, o elenco é fraco, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, os personagens são fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes, para fazer o filme ser bom

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donnie m

@RT64375194 Nov 29, 2025

great family movie-we need more like it-i got good chills and tears at the end

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Rob A

@RT76386004 Apr 22, 2025

One of my all-time Top 10 Hidden Gems, Big Miracle is anchored by an all-star cast and it's a fascinating (now mostly forgotten) true story to boot.

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KB B

@Okbullard Nov 15, 2024

This was a very compelling film about the three ice locked whales in Alaska 1988. I remember hearing about this when it actually happened but wasn't aware of all the details. It's worth the watch.

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Ken Kwapis

Director

John Krasinski

Adam Carlson

Drew Barrymore

Rachel Kramer

Kristen Bell

Jill Jerard

Vinessa Shaw

Kelly Meyers

Dermot Mulroney

Col. Scott Boyer

Big Miracle: Official Clip - The De-Icing Machines

2:15

Now Playing

Big Miracle: Official Clip - That Baby is Gone

3:41

Now Playing

Big Miracle: Official Clip - Swimming With the Whales

2:52

Now Playing

Big Miracle: Official Clip - The Whale Report

1:17

Now Playing

Big Miracle: Official Clip - Breaking Free

3:02

Now Playing

Big Miracle: Official Clip - Those Whales Are Going to Die

2:34

Now Playing

Big Miracle: Official Clip - The Whales Surface

1:08

Now Playing

Big Miracle: Official Clip - Cutting Holes in the Ice

1:03

Now Playing

Big Miracle: Official Clip - I'm Gonna Lick Your Eye

2:21

Now Playing

Big Miracle: Official Clip - Race Against Time

2:05

Now Playing

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Synopsis

Adam Carlson (John Krasinski), a reporter based in a small town in northern Alaska, can't wait to land a job in a bigger market. Then, the story of a lifetime practically lands in his lap: A family of gray whales is discovered near the Arctic Circle, trapped by rapidly forming ice. Along with the descending media comes Rachel Kramer (Drew Barrymore), an environmental activist and Adam's ex-lover. Together, they try to rally an international coalition to save the whales before it's too late.

Director: Ken Kwapis
Producer: Steve Golin, Michael Sugar, Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner
Screenwriter: Jack Amiel, Michael Begler
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Production Co: Anonymous Content, Working Title Films
Rating: PG (Language)
Genre: Adventure, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 3, 2012, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 10, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $20.1M
Runtime: 1h 47m

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