Miracle Run is a 2004
Lifetime movie written by Mike Maples and directed by Gregg Champion. It focuses on Corrine Morgan (
Mary-Louise Parker), a single mother who finds out that her twin sons Steven (Jake Cherry) and Phillip (
Jeremy Shada) are autistic. She works with a therapist to teach them language and social skills, and over the years the brothers flourish. As they enter high school, Steven (now played by
Zac Efron) develops a passion for athletics, while Phillip (Bubba Lewis) discovers a musical gift.
Miracle Run contains examples of:
- 555: Surprisingly averted with the babysitters Corrine try to hire, who have what look like real phone numbers, but played straight in other scenes.
- Abuse Mistake: The twins' teacher initially thinks their autistic behaviors are symptoms of abuse.
- Air Guitar: Corrine's Love Interest, Douglas Thomas (Aidan Quinn), plays air guitar on a shovel.
- The Big Race: Steven participates in one at the end of the movie.
- Blanket Fort: Corrine creates one under the table to calm the boys down after the power shuts off because she forgot to pay the electricity bill.
- Brief Accent Imitation: Steven says of a girl who smiled at him, "Maybe she'll be my girlfriend!" A bully repeats "Maybe she'll be my girlfriend," mimicking Steven's way of talking, then shoves him into Phillip.
- Desk Sweep of Rage: When Philip beats a boy named Ward at chess, Ward angrily knocks all the pieces off the board.
- Disappeared Dad: Two examples: Corrine's live-in boyfriend, who breaks up with her after her sons are diagnosed with autism, and the boys' biological father, who isn't even mentioned.
- Hates Being Nicknamed: When Corrine calls Steven "sweetheart," he says, "Can you please not call me that? I'm a teenager, you know."
- Interrupted Intimacy: Steven walks in on Corrine and Douglas while they're kissing in bed. She reminds him to knock.
- Overworked Sleep: Corrine falls asleep at the table while writing a letter about the boys' educational rights.
- Parental Substitute: Corrine's boyfriend at the beginning of the movie, and Douglas later on.
- Picky Eater: As a kid, Phillip won't eat grapes unless they've been completely peeled. As a teenager, Steven doesn't want to eat shrimp because it reminds him of bugs.
- Potty Failure: Early in the movie, Steven wets himself in a grocery store.
- Raw Eggs Make You Stronger: Phillip tries to drink raw eggs like his hero Rocky, only to immediately vomit them up.
- The Speechless: At the beginning of the movie, Steven is nonverbal and Phillip is echolalic.
- Taking the Kids: After she breaks up with her boyfriend, Corrine moves to a motel with the boys.
- Taught by Television: At one point the brothers are sent to the principal's office for punching two bullies who were picking on a girl Steven likes. When the principal asks where they learned to punch like that, they chorus, "Rocky III!"
- Time Skip: The first thirty-five minutes follow Steven and Phillip as young children. The rest of the movie is about their time as high school freshmen.
- "Where Are They Now?" Epilogue: The very end of the movie tells us that the family is living in southern California and that the brothers are hoping to win full scholarships.
