Big Miracle is a heartwarming drama that tells the true story of the 1988 effort to rescue three whales who were trapped under ice in the Arctic Circle. The small town of Barrow, Alaska becomes the center of a global effort to save the whales, as news crews from around the world arrive to document the rescue attempt.
John Krasinski plays Adam Carlson, a small-town news reporter who stumbles upon the story while reporting on a local Inupiaq whale hunting tradition. Drew Barrymore plays Rachel Kramer, a Greenpeace activist who sees the rescue attempt as an opportunity to raise awareness about the danger facing endangered whale populations.
As the story unfolds, Adam and Rachel find themselves working together to rally support from local Inupiaq hunters and the US and Soviet governments. With the help of a Soviet icebreaker and a team of international scientists, the rescue mission becomes a symbol of hope and cooperation in a world divided by the Cold War.
The film is based on the nonfiction book ‘Freeing the Whales: How the Media Created the World’s Greatest Non-Event’ by Tom Rose, who covered the story as a journalist. Directed by Ken Kwapis and produced by Steve Golin and Michael Sugar, the film features an all-star cast, including Kristen Bell, Ted Danson, and Dermot Mulroney.