Absolutely touching movie devoid of sentimentality, clichés, and the "safe" topics sometimes found in family movies. I didn't realize I'd like it so much. Eddy Martin sings beautifully and shows great depth in his portrayal of a boy in search of his father.I like the the very real flavor of the town. The non-glamorized actors seem to be cast perfectly for each character. No single character, with the exception of the "chosen one" were overacted, and even in that case, it's arguable since the extra emotional character of that role called for a little bit of "overacting" -- she cracked me up. The role of the sheriff was highly interesting -- he's not oversimplified as a simple man of the law with no compassion; instead, he plays a kind of "villain" to a young boy's life in his effort to follow the law and preserve a small town, yet goes home every night and literally spoon feeds and cares for his dying, frail, mentally lost mother.

Salma directs this uplifting movie METICULOUSLY!!! I usually don't boo-hoo at a lot of movies as they are too unrealistic, and more monopolized along the way and geared toward a more favorable "unrealistic" Hollywood ending. Salma, gets down to simple folks with "GENUINE" lives and a very "unique Miracle" that happened to them one day. A town so miniscule, that one would not even consider giving a second thought of finding God there. Salma evidently found this one little town's WORTH was more than gold. Salma incorporates "simple" folks with very real lives, in very REAL situations on a day to day basis. She does not belabor on each of her characters, but allows enough for you to get just a brief glimpse of their ordinary lives. This is by far an extraordinary movie! If she managed this kind of movie with a limited budget, I can only envision what she is capable of if she had MORE to work with. Her creativity, no doubt, would UNDENIABLY SHINE!!! If you ever ponder the thought of wanting to "recover" your faith, this movie will move the very core of your soul!!!! EXCELLENT!!! PAR NONE!!!

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.

"The Maldonado Miracle" tells of a SoCal town ala Mayberry RFD with a handful of stereotypical townsfolk type characters who get caught up in a frenzy of activity when a statue of Christ appears to be crying tears of blood. A potpourri of oh so perfectly imperfect people from the parish priest (Fonda) to the cute little poor Mexican boy with a dog who wants to find his papá to the pot bellied Sheriff with a sickly old mother, etc., this flick is a contrived and obvious button-pusher which Hayek is trying turn into a fountain of warm and fuzzies. As one might expect, the film bears the fingerprints of a novice auteur and plays out as little more than a no brainer cable watch for sentimentalists who ascribe to the principle: It is, therefor it's good. Mediocre stuff now on Showtime. (C+)