The St. Tammany Miracle (1994)

Alright, lets set one thing straight- Soliel Moon Frye(Punky Brewster) is NOT THE COACH!!! It's Julie Luner of Melrose Place "fame". From the lame inspirational themes to the even choppier love story in it, this movie was destined for the Wal-Mart $.99 bin. This movie is so artificial it makes saccharin part of the food group. It couldn't even be called 'predictable' because of the outrageous plot 'twists' are heavily forced. If you had the unfortunate experience of seeing this movie on late night religious TV, I feel bad for you- if you went out and bought then I feel really awful about your loss of money. This lame flick has a few of your washed up 80s/90s 'stars' and even an appearance by Steve Allen (who was never really that entertaining anyway regardless of his fame). NOTE to producers- 'famous' names do not a good movie make (even if one is probably your daughter). WWJD? Avoid this movie.

OK...this is a movie, shot predominately in Shreveport, LA at Centenary College...obviously IMDb doesn't give enough credit, that tells two different stories. First, there is the story of a basketball team that struggles under former leadership and then thrives under their new coach...zone vs. man to man for those knowledgeable in "basketball". Second, there is the love triangle between Lootie, the new head master and the sports announcer. It is a Christian based film. The Shreveport locals behind the scenes did a great job putting this one together...they were responsible for the majority of the basketball/basketball training scenes...as well as the uniforms, and coaching techniques used. The producer and director did a great job putting the pieces together...and placing Hollywood greats in a position to make the film credible. Although, on this site none of the locals get any credit except for those that are registered actors.

Let's start with the fact that Lootie is the coach, not Julia... The movie is family friendly, uplifting and sends a message. It's not for everyone, the acting is mediocre (even with Zack from Saved By The Bell, Punky Brewster, the girl from Melrose Place, and an appearance from the legendary Steve Allen), camera work is not very good, and the musical score sounds like the demo button on a casio keyboard, but it can serve as a light or something to hold on to when someone is in need. So when you wanna watch a feel good movie, (and you've already seen The Greatest Game Ever Played or Invincible), and you want one with religious undertones, The St. Tammany Miracle will do the trick.

Julia (Soleil Moon Frye) has been hired to coach the girl's high school basketball team at a private Episcopal school. The previous coach, Father Thomas, in is charge of the school itself. Although he handpicked this former nationally recognized player to be his coach, he insists on telling her how to run her operations. This means conflict, at first, for Julia has her own fine ideas on how to coach the team. Gradually, Father Thomas learns to appreciate her plans and gives her a freer reign on the team. The results are outstanding. The young players begin to win game after game. Is it the power of God at work, for Julia is a committed Christian or is it her coaching abilities? Also, is Julia attracted to Father Thomas, a widower, or is she still in love with a hotshot sports announcer? This is a fine movie on three levels. One, it gives a wonderful look at talented young female basketball players and their athletic abilities. Two, it has a romance and a nice one at that. And, three, the film has a spiritual nature that is very rare in cinema these days. Frye is lovely and breathes natural talent while Father Thomas is attractive and compelling. The other actors, including the young girls, give very nice performances, too. The sets and costumes are quite adequate. If you want to show an uplifting film to young girls, here is the perfect choice. It scores excellent points for its story revolving around basketball, believing in oneself, and having faith in a higher power.