By: Lana K. Wilson-Combs
Sometimes you just have to believe and dare to dream for things that you want and need, and they?ll find a way to you if you have faith and hope.
That?s much of the premise anyway of the faith-based movie,
?The Secret: Dare to Dream? from director Andy Tennant (?Hitch? and ?Sweet Home Alabama?).
The inspirational film, is adapted from
Rhonda Bryne?s 2006, best-selling self-help book, ?The Secret.?
In ?The Secret: Dare to Dream,? Katie Holmes stars as Miranda Wells, a widowed mom with three kids. Missy (Sarah Hoffmeister, TV?s ?9-1-1?) is the fussy 16-year-old, Greg (Aidan Pierce Brennan, TV?s ?Ray Donovan? and TV?s ?The Punisher?) is the inquisitive one and little Bess (Chloe Lee, ?The Demon Inside?) is absolutely adorable. All she wants is a pony.
Miranda has many wants and needs. She works at a seafood restaurant, in Louisiana but still can?t make ends meet. Her boss, Tucker is rich and owns the place and really wants to marry Miranda, but her heart isn?t fully committed to him now. Did I mention he?s
very rich?
She?s not looking for handouts and has been able to scrape by, although the house could use some repairs and the kids would like to eat something other than red beans and rice or chicken.
Miranda starts her day by trying to talk down bill collectors. She needs to have a root canal--thanks to her love of taffy--but she doesn?t have health insurance and can?t afford to pay out of pocket.
It?s one thing after the other for Miranda. She wears her stress well and has three particularly good kids although Missy is having a fit because her birthday party is the same day as the party of the most popular girl at school. Missy can?t possibly compete with her catered food trucks and all.
Missy and Miranda are arguing over that life or death situation while driving home from school. Things get a bit heated and Miranda takes her eyes off the road for a second and suddenly crashes the minivan into the back of a pickup truck. Fortunately, no one is hurt, but Miranda?s bumper has seen better days.
When she gets out of the car to apologize to the driver, Bray Johnson (Josh Lucas, ?Ford v. Ferrari?), she?s embarrassed and surprised at how nice he is. He even offers to fix the bumper for free and Miranda takes him up on the offer. But really who is this guy? Why is he being so nice to her and the kids?
What Miranda doesn?t realize is Bray knows her and just left her house to deliver a huge envelope. Bray seems just like any another bill collector, but it turns out he?s not the bearer of bad news. He?s an engineering professor from Vanderbilt and has something to give Miranda that will change her life in a good way. But several circumstances keep popping up preventing him from delivering it to her.
There?s something endearing about Bray that Miranda appreciates. Maybe it?s those piercing blue eyes and that dimpled smile or just that calming presence she needs in her life right now. Apparently, Tucker isn?t bringing it.
Speaking of storms, when Hurricane Hazel blows through town and leaves a tree in her kitchen and a hole in the roof, it?s Bray who comes to Miranda?s rescue, much to the dismay of Tucker (O?Connell ) and her mother-in-law bobby ( a funny Celia Weston, TV?s ?Bless this Mess?).
There is some mystery surrounding Bray and the film takes it time to get to the big reveal which results in a confusing, but happy ending for Miranda and the family and ultimately Bray too.
?The Secret: Dare to Dream? is a simple, predictable yet comforting and enjoyable film that I believe could resonate beyond its targeted audience.
On July 31, ?The Secret: Dare to Dream? is through streaming services including Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, and additional cable providers.
Check Out This Trailer For
"THE SECRET: DARE TO DREAM"
Lana K. Wilson-Combs is a member of the Broadcast Film Critics? Association (BFCA), The Black Film Critics Circle (BFCC), The Alliance Of Women Film Journalists (AWFJ) and a Nominating Committee Voting Member for the NAACP Image Awards.
