Let it be known that I’m not the biggest fan of “based on a true story” movies. So it came as a surprise to me when Netflix reached out and asked if I was willing to watch this movie and do a piece on it. After watching the trailer, I decided it looked pretty decent and agreed to give it a shot. I expected it to be slow paced where I’d nod off a few times. But I was very, very wrong.
“Blue Miracle” is about the true story about Casa Hogar, a boy’s orphanage in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico that’s on the brink of shutting down. Omar Venegas, the owner of the orphanage, finds himself roped into the world’s biggest fishing tournament when a washed up captain named Wade Malloy is desperate for a team in order to actually compete again for first place. Omar sees this as an opportunity to use the prize money to potentially save his boys from being thrown onto the streets again. The three day competition challenges Wade, Omar and the boys as they have to find common ground if they want to win the competition and save the orphanage.
I was surprised by how engaging the movie was. Normally these types of movies put me to sleep but in all honesty, this one had me laughing and crying. The older boys were so funny and had these beautiful one liners that I thought was perfectly suited for a teenager. There was a perfect balance between the flashbacks of past and present which allowed viewers to see into Omar’s childhood and how it shaped him into the role model he wanted to be for the boys. The script did a fantastic job keeping viewers like me, who as mentioned before aren’t really into this genre of film, interested.
The cinematography. There were some god-like shots in this movie that showed the beautiful coastline and culture of Mexico. The overhead shots of the water and the way the sun made it sparkle and reflect off the surface was gorgeous to look at. Even the shots of Cabo San Lucas from the sky were beautiful. You can borderline smell the ocean breeze and the street food being cooked. As a fan of stunning camera work, the cinematography here gets nothing but praise from me. Phenomenal job.
This film is absolutely worth the watch. I went into it a little unsure as to whether or not it was going to be any good but was pleasantly surprised by the whole thing. I personally love all the wise words Omar shares with the kids and I think they’re important regardless of where you are in life or what your age is. It’s a fantastic family film that everyone can enjoy, with morals and lessons to be learned. Viewers won’t regret giving this a watch.
After winning the competition, the money won was used to renovate and expand Casa Hogar, including the addition of a girl’s program. To find out more about how you can help Casa Hogar as well as spread awareness about Social Assistance Centers in Mexico, please visit www.CasaHogarCabo.com
Blue Miracle is available to stream on Netflix now.
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