At first, it was headaches. Then it was nosebleeds and blackouts. The doctors tell Brycen Newman’s parents that it’s probably from heat exhaustion and dehydration. But then Brycen faints at school.
Turns out, it’s brain cancer.
Dr. Getty, head of neurosurgery, successfully removes the first tumor. But then another one appears, and it’s growing rapidly.
Radiation doesn’t help; surgery is impossible. Brycen’s outlook is bleak. But the Newmans aren’t ready to give up because they believe that God is still in the business of performing miracles.
This film demonstrates a father’s love for his child. Richard Newman spends multiple nights in his son’s hospital room, sometimes even sleeping on the floor. He advocates for Brycen even before the doctors diagnose him. He pushes to give his son better quality of life through all stages of Brycen’s illness. And he never gives up hope, even when Brycen expresses his own fears.
Folks rally around Brycen during his illness. They send “Get Well” cards, flowers and other small gifts to him in the hospital. His friends and family visit frequently to offer moral support. And when the Make-A-Wish Foundation is unable to grant Brycen’s request, a couple goes the extra mile to give him something he’s always dreamed of.
Several of Brycen’s friends shave their heads in solidarity to make him feel less alone. The same friends help Brycen get around when he’s too physically weak to support himself. His baseball coaches honor him with an award of excellence even though he’s unable to complete the season. We see Brycen’s classmates and teammates honor him in other ways.
Ed Hanson, a car mechanic, volunteers to fix veterans’ cars for just a dollar. He explains to his concerned wife (who worries that he’s overworking himself) that for military guys who didn’t have families back home, talking about cars was one of the few things that kept them going. So, he fixes their cars for next to nothing to thank them for their sacrifice.
A woman praises her husband for his big heart but lovingly reminds him to take care of himself, too. A man apologizes after yelling at a doctor. A sick boy decides to give up his brand-new tablet to another sick child, since he thinks she’ll enjoy it more.
The Newman family’s faith is put to the test in this story. When they’re told their 15-year-old son is going to die, Brycen’s parents are shocked. But they refuse to give up. They pray for him faithfully, and they continue to hope for a cure.
That said, when Brycen asks his dad if he’s angry with God, Richard tells him, “Yes.” Richard tells Brycen that he isn’t sure whether God has a plan. And he apologizes to his son that Brycen has to go through this.
Brycen also talks about his fear of dying. But at the same time, he also puts his trust in God. He reminds his father to continue trusting as well. The teenager bravely faces his diagnosis, praying about joining God in heaven when his time comes. And he continues to pray for others as well, particularly his dad, asking God to let Richard know that He is with him.
Richard also prays over his son. He asks God to be with Brycen, even though he doesn’t know why this tragedy has happened to their family. And he tells Brycen that he prays for him daily. (Flashbacks also show that Richard raised his son in the faith, leading him in prayer throughout Brycen’s life.)
The students and staff of Cathedral Catholic High School, where Brycen attends, pray for Brycen continually. When Brycen’s girlfriend asks a teacher why God hasn’t saved Brycen yet, the teacher reminds her that God is still in control. In a bold act of faith, Brycen’s entire school lays hands on him, asking God for the miracle of healing.
Other people pray repeatedly (and since the characters are Catholic, they cross themselves when doing so). We see crosses in the background of several shots. A few scenes take place in churches or chapels. Teachers at Cathedral reference the Catechisms and quote scripture. (We hear Hebrews 12:1-2, Philippians 4:13 and Hebrews 13:8.) Brycen’s girlfriend gives him a rosary. Several people say, “God bless you.” Someone says, “Speak of the devil.”
[Spoiler Warning] A reporter tells his daughter early in the film that miracles aren’t real. However, after witnessing Brycen’s miraculous healing (which Brycen believes took place after his schoolmates laid hands on him in prayer), the reporter changes his tune, putting his faith in God once again.
Brycen and his girlfriend, Alexandra, walk to class arm in arm, and a passing friend makes kissy faces at them. Several girls wear slightly revealing dresses to a school dance. A married couple kisses. One of Brycen’s buddies tells him he should ask the Make-A-Wish Foundation to be cast in a movie so he can kiss a celebrity. A nurse’s husband jokingly tells Brycen not to flirt with his wife.
It appears Brycen’s parents are divorced.
We see Brycen’s struggle with cancer vividly displayed onscreen. He gets a nosebleed at school; faints and falls to the floor; and slowly starts to look worse and worse for wear. We hear about a man who died from brain cancer and about a young boy whose doctors believe he is going to die.
Richard says he wants to punch a female doctor who doesn’t take Brycen’s illness seriously at first.
Though the film is void of foul language and largely avoids misusing the Lord’s name, there appears to be four misuses of God’s name, though they could also be construed as honest exclamations to Him.
Richard drinks whiskey one night while sobbing over Brycen’s condition.
Characters sometimes lie. One man repeatedly tries to hide things from his wife, worrying she’ll nag him. (When she reminds him to take his medication, he sarcastically calls her “Mother.”)
Brycen’s dad becomes increasingly frustrated with a doctor who initially states that the boy’s headaches are due to puberty and dehydration. Later, after Brycen passes out at school, Richard spots the same doctor laughing and carrying on with her colleagues right outside Brycen’s hospital room, angering him further.
We see Brycen, his family and his friends grow steadily sadder as his condition worsens.
A boy is tardy to class because he was flirting with a girl. Brycen’s mom gets upset with Richard when he shows off a brand-new truck to their son. Richard jokes about being poorer as a child, which some might feel is insensitive.
In the throes of cancer, Brycen vomits into a pail held by a nurse.
For those who didn’t know, Miracle at Manchester is based on a true story. That said, I’ll try to avoid spoilers here.
What we have here is a story of enduring faith, even in the bleakest circumstances. Brycen fears dying, but he never stops trusting God; and he encourages those around him to put their faith in God as well.
Folks learn a lot from this. They’re reminded not only that miracles are real, but that we all have a part to play in them. When we love, when we give, when we believe, we can help make miracles happen, whether by providing a dream car to a sick teenager or simply giving a little girl a tablet to make her own experience less burdensome.
God can and will grant the miracle of healing sometimes, we’re told. But even if He doesn’t, lives can still be transformed by our faith in Him. Brycen knows this. Even when he’s at his worst, he asks God to be with his father, Richard. Moreover, he accepts that if it’s his time, at least he’ll get to be with his heavenly Father.
Viewers interested in streaming this PureFlix film will find very little concerning content. You’ll hear a few apparent misuses of God’s name and, of course, we witness Brycen’s battle with cancer, which can be disturbing at times.
But overall, this story is an inspiring reminder of what can happen when Christians put their trust in God—a God who is still in the business of performing miracles.
Emily studied film and writing when she was in college. And when she isn’t being way too competitive while playing board games, she enjoys food, sleep, and geeking out with her husband indulging in their “nerdoms,” which is the collective fan cultures of everything they love, such as Star Wars, Star Trek, Stargate and Lord of the Rings.
