If you’ve seen the preview for Big Miracle, you know what to expect: an earnest, tear-jerking, heart-warming story of people coming together to save a trio of gray whales stranded in the Arctic.  The movie delivers that much, and a bit more, with some compelling commentary about how people and groups with varying agendas can find common ground — and political advantage — by working together and doing the right thing, even when it seems contrary to their first instincts.

One element lifts the film beyond the TV movie-of-the-week level.  It is the complex social dynamic, which pits a Greenpeace activist (Drew Barrymore) against an oil company executive (Ted Danson), Alaska’s governor (Stephen Root) and even the White House, none of which care whether or not a few whales drown.  This underdog story is uplifted further when the inhabitants of Barrow, Alaska (experiencing some excitement for a change), the native Inuit hunters (who would just as soon harvest the whales), the Alaskan National Guard (who don’t want to be bothered) and even the crew of a Soviet icebreaking ship (surprised to be asked for their help) join forces against nature and time to free the trapped whales.  Ken Kwapis’ film balances the various perspectives, allowing the Greenpeace arguments to be strident and the political advantages to outweigh other factors.  The film demonstrates a respect for the Inuit native way of life and does not pander or preach to the audience.

The film harps on the media attention given to the incident, which was based on a true story in 1988.  After a likable reporter (John Krasinski) first broadcasts the story locally it gradually becomes regional, then national, then international news, and the Barrow region is flooded with reporters.  Much of the story — too much, in my opinion — is consumed by the reporters jostling each other for story angles, as well as basics like food and places to stay.  The media frenzy introduces extra conflict to the story, but I would rather have seen how some of Barrow’s residents were personally affected by the situation.

Big Miracle is an earnestly made, feel-good movie with surprising substance.  For the most part it avoids simple sentimentalism and it has so much going on that it is never boring.  It’s a tear-jerker that earns its tears honestly, and some of the visuals in the Great White North are quite spectacular, including under the thick ice that is preventing the whales from migrating.  It’s a good film for families; the theater in which I saw it was packed with them.  Trivia note: the wrap-up news broadcast has footage of a very young Sarah Palin (she’s the sportscaster!).  ✰ ✰ ✰.  21 Feb. 2012.