This is a lovely film that I looked for for years, after seeing it on British TV. It gently takes a swipe at human understanding (or lack of), chiding us also for wanting to be self-important whilst losing sight of what is really important in life, but then reminds us that if we stop looking for somebody to come in and make a grand gesture of change in our lives, we can see the small miracles that already have power in our lives. There are some truly fine performances here, especially in the on screen relationship between Mare Winningham and Ruben Blades. Peter Fonda's work here is every bit as crafted and lean as his earlier work in "The Heart is Deceitful Above All Things." Eddy Martin is a gem of a find as the young Mexican boy at the centre of events. Salma Hayek, as a debuting director, is to be commended.

This is a great family film. The characters are interesting and you find yourself getting involved with the story and really caring about how it will end. Eddy Martin is a treasure ! He's not yet been robbed of the sweetness of youth that makes him so real. Peter Fonda is a little stiff in his character. Mare Winningham gives a touching performance. You will laugh at yourself while, at the same time, do some soul searching before being too critical. The bottom line, if you like a family movie with a religious flavor and inspirational ending....get this movie. I will be looking for more movies with Eddy Martin. Hopefully someone needing a great young actor will sign him to a contract.

Considering it was Ms. Hayek's first film, it is a remarkable achievement. "The Maldonado Miracle" is a film of rare, quiet beauty; one that touched and moved me without resorting to sentimentality. It touches on the subject of faith, love and grace in a simple way: showing us that the sacred is in the everyday and that hope creates it's own little miracles. Bravo, Ms. Hayek! I for one hope you keep directing and producing. Your work, along with others in the independent film community, shows the promise of a new era of cinema: one in which substance triumphs, if for a brief moment, over style.

This was definitely a pleasant surprise. When my wife brought it home, I was very skeptical, but it is an interesting and entertaining movie. Salma does very well with artistic moments--showing poignant images and voiceless narrative--but not letting them bog the movie down. It is impressive how she was able to let us peek into the lives of more than a dozen characters, letting us see their struggles and feel that we know them, without getting lost in a mishmash. She also had the good sense to end the movie when it was done. While not a great movie, it is a good movie and much more watchable than any movie Robert Redford has directed. Keep up the good work.BTW, the song during the end credits is haunting and, interestingly enough, sung by Mare Winningham.