Approved for All Ages

Marshall’s Miracle

Twelve-year-old Finn endures daily torment from the bullies at his school, but his life begins to change the day that he encounters a Labrador retriever named Marshall. He finds the dog being held in deplorable conditions, at the mercy of an animal hoarder who keeps 60 dogs penned up on her isolated ranch. The boy sees something of himself in Marshall: both are bullied, but both are brave. Finn pulls off a daring rescue, saving Marshall from the dogs that are attacking him.

That’s only the beginning. In an "E.T."-like game of cat and mouse, Finn must hide Marshall from his stressed-out single mother, Cynthia. It’s truly a race against time as Finn and his sassy 16-year-old cousin, Grace, try to find help for Marshall before his wounds fester and he dies of an infection.

Along the way, however, Marshall gets spooked and runs away from Finn. The dog embarks on a series of scary, funny, and heartwarming adventures, while everyone, including Cynthia and her love interest (the handsome veterinarian Doc Henry), desperately look for him. Finn faces his own challenges, too, as he continues to encounter the local bully and his mother—the hoarder who wants her dog back.

In the end, Finn and his family are able to get Marshall to the vet hospital, and it is the special bond between a boy and his dog that will ultimately save the brave Lab. Marshall has to have his front leg removed, but he is a fierce survivor and can outrun most four-legged dogs, while teaching everyone an important lesson: Don’t give up five minutes before the miracle.
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Negative Rating
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SexLanguageViolenceDrugsNudityOther
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Positive Rating
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Dove Review

Finn is the new kid at school and is good at baseball, but the other boys don’t like him and don’t want to give him a chance. They bully him every day, taking his phone, threatening him and even keeping him from team try-outs.

When this young boy rescues a dog from the home of the main kid who is bullying him, Finn finds something in common with the dog he names Marshall. The bigger problem is that Marshall is not at all well and, with his cousin, he gets him to the vet. That is when Finn’s mother comes to realize that she also needs to help her son and Marshall.

“Marshall’s Miracle” is a great tale with many underlying lessons that will be inspirational for everyone. This is a story about not only rescuing animals from terrible situations, but also standing up to bullies. As Finn and Marshall learn, you must be strong, courageous and stand up for yourself and others. The important thing is to, “Be strong; don’t give up before the miracle happens.” This is a wonderful, entertaining movie for the entire family.

We are proud to award “Marshall’s Miracle” with the Dove “Family-Approved” Seal for all ages.

Dove Rating Details

0
Faith

None

0
Integrity

Boys bullying another; boys put Finn in a laundry locker and lock him in; bullies steal boy's phone; dog tries to bite a boy; dog attacks another.

1
Sex

Couple kiss.

1
Language

Oh Gosh-1; Oh God-2.

1
Violence

Boys bullying another; boys put Finn in a laundry locker and lock him in; bullies steal boy's phone; dog tries to bite a boy; dog attacks another.

1
Drugs

Vet giving dog shots and medicine.

0
Nudity

None

1
Other

Hoarding dogs; not telling the truth.

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