Watching 'The Miracle Club' felt like stumbling into the local drama of an Irish village

When considering movie audiences, middle-aged women are often overlooked. There are animated children's classics for kids. Superhero movies marketed to teen boys. Coming of age stories for mid-20s women. War movies that take aim at male audiences — movies made to drive box office sales.

Every so often a film aimed at women who are 50+ graces the screens. Nancy Meyers' "Something's Gotta Give" centers a romance between two successful people later in their lives. "The First Wives Club" connects three friends whose husbands are moving on to younger women. And earlier this year, "Book Club: The Next Chapter" featured women of a certain age on a European adventure.

There was potential for "The Miracle Club," the most recent film by award-winning Irish director Thaddeus O'Sullivan, to join the ranks of those charming films. But unlike Bette Midler, Goldie Hawn and Diane Keaton in matching white power suits singing a ballad together, "The Miracle Club" doesn't capitalize on its star power and was ultimately an unsatisfying journey.

What is the plot of ‘The Miracle Club’?

Set in the late 1960s, the movie follows three friends, Dolly (Agnes O'Casey), Eileen (Kathy Bates) and Lily (Maggie Smith) as they try to win a trip from their small town in Ireland to the sacred town of Lourdes, France. With some meddling from their priest, the three women are selected for a pilgrimage of a lifetime.

For those who don’t know, Lourdes is one of the most visited sites by Catholics in the world. The story goes that in 1858, a young peasant girl was visited by the Virgin Mary in 18 different interactions, during which she performed miracles. Today, it is still visited by millions of sick and devout who bathe in the famous grotto’s flowing water.

Just before the three women embark on their travels, an old friend arrives back in their town of Ballygar. Chrissie (Laura Linney) is home for her mother’s funeral and she brings with her unresolved baggage and drama from the past. Despite being a skeptic, she joins the winning members of the congregation on their bus ride to the sanctuary.

During their expedition, the vulnerability of hoping for the unbelievable reopens old wounds and things that have been harbored for 40 years, since Chrissie left for America, are confronted.

'The Miracle Club' will make you feel like a stranger walking into small town drama

Like most small towns and generations of friendships, the women at the center of the film have secrets. An undeniable tragedy pushed Chrissie to move across the sea to America when she was just a teen, leaving behind a man she loved and a family.

But like being a stranger in a small town, it’s up to the audience to piece together what the backstory is — and why Chrissie’s presence is so painful to them — through one-liners and whispers. It feels like listening in on just one side of a phone conversation.

Separate from the misery that Chrissie brings when she returns to town is the friend Dolly, who is bringing her son to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes because he doesn’t talk. It’s not made clear if he is medically nonverbal or if it is a choice the child is making, but Dolly is desperate for her son to verbally communicate. As any loving mother would, she hopes this miracle can help.

It feels a bit like walking into a movie halfway through. The movie drops little nuggets of information as it goes along, but because the audience doesn’t know the full context of the story until the end, the emotional moments lack gravitas because they lack context. It’s easy to write Eileen off as rude or insensitive when you don’t know why she’s acting the way she does toward Chrissie. By the time we understand why, it's too late. There simply isn't enough time to connect to the characters or their backstories.

Kathy Bates' singing is the best part of the movie

Seeing "The Miracle Club" is not a bad way to spend a weekday night or a Sunday afternoon. It’s light and the shots of the Irish and French countryside are worth tuning in for. There is also a remarkable ensemble of talented actors, including Stephen Rae in the supporting cast. And yet, it feels like it’s missing a scene or an element that would amplify the sentimental and heartwarming tone it is trying to get across.

The plot is lacking in emotional weight, even though the adversities are right there on paper.

A silver lining is that Kathy Bates sings twice, which might be reason enough to watch.

'The Miracle Club' 2 ½ stars

Great ★★★★★ Good ★★★★

Fair ★★★ Bad ★★ Bomb ★

Director: Thaddeus O’Sullivan

Cast: Laura Linney, Maggie Smith, Kathy Bates, Agnes O'Casey, Stephen Rae

Rating: PG-13 for thematic elements and some language

How to watch: In theaters Friday, July 14

Reach the reporter Amanda Luberto at aluberto@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @amandaluberto.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Review: Lack of context makes it hard to connect to 'The Miracle Club'