Note: Jon Speed is no longer employed by Loor, but he continues to write on entertainment news at The Need for Speed.  You can follow his writing and the wars he starts there.

Last night I took my family to see Miracle in East Texas. The film ran as a Fathom two-day Event and we saw it at a Regal Cinema in Fort Worth, TX. Let’s just say it right up front: the film is a fun family film with a message that Hollywood hates–redemption is possible through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The film was directed by Kevin Sorbo, written by Dan Gordon (The Hurricane starring Denzel Washington, Wyatt Earp starring Kevin Costner) and produced by Dan Gordon, James Quattrochi, Kevin Sorbo and Sam Sorbo.

Surprisingly, Angel Studios doesn’t distribute everything. Thank God for Fathom Events.

The film is, ”A tall tale based on a completely true story.” It tells the story of two flim flam oil wildcatters, Dad Everett and Doc Boyd as they con widows out of their savings and property across Oklahoma and Texas. Dad is played by John Ratzenberger (2 Emmy Award nominations for Cliff Claven in Cheers and has done impressive voice over work for Pixar Studios–Hamm in Toy Story, Mack in Cars, The Abominable Snowman in Monsters, Inc., The Underminer in The Incredibles, etc.) and Doc is played by Kevin Sorbo (Hercules, God’s Not Dead, What If?, and did voice over for CHOICE42.com’s anti-abortion animated short, by, ironically, a former Pixar animator, The Procedure). Doc’s love interest is played by Sam Sorbo (Serena in Hercules, Dr. Caroline Eggert in Season 3 of Chicago Hope). Louis Gossett, Jr. is the narrator. It’s evident that Ratzenberger and Kevin Sorbo enjoy working together in front of the camera and obviously there is some chemistry between Kevin and his wife Sam and that works well on screen.  

Of course. If it didn’t, I also do marriage counseling now and then.

However, as Kevin Sorbo stated in the Fathom interview after the film, it was Sam Sorbo who stole the show. She is solid throughout the film but in a pivotal scene at the end of the film, she took over. “Impressive” does not begin to describe what she did there. She not only nailed the delivery, but in so doing, she delivered the message of the entire film–no matter how despicable a character you may be or how deceitful you may have been, God is able to redeem you through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

And make no mistake: these jokers were deceitful. Not only did they woo widows with their wiles, but they also pretended to be Christians while doing it. They knew how to sprinkle the name of Jesus Christ through their conversations or when they needed to convince other Christians of their sincerity. The Puritan, Thomas Watson once wrote in his book, The Ten Commandments, about the offense of a man wallowing in sin while speaking of God and religion. He concluded, “When the Word of God is in a drunkard’s mouth, it is like a pearl hung upon a swine.” Kevin Sorbo and Ratzenberger play the roles of pearl-wearing pigs perfectly. Their hypocrisy is good food for thought for any Christian family or church.

The fact that con men can be made right with God through Jesus offends Hollywood executives and elite to a degree that defies all logic. In an industry where you might think that these participants would WANT redemption for all the filth that they have depicted, promoted, or participated directly in, it is a mystery as to why they hate the idea of forgiveness. Cancel culture thrives on this attitude. Once you are marked, with evidence or not, your career and your life are both over. Ask Roseanne Barr, J.K. Rowling, or Chris Pratt (who seems to inadvertently stir up the Twitter or X mob for just proclaiming Christianity now and then).

Another minor performance is worthy of mention. Jonathan Hawley Purvis played the part of oilman L.D. Heinz. Purvis is an unknown, but his part in this film was believable and well done. Keep an eye out for him in future roles.

When this releases on streaming or DVD, get it and watch it with your family. You can keep tabs on these releases by signing up for Sorbo Studios newsletter.