Movie Review: The Boys Of '80

Because I'm not allowed to live-blog an Olympic hockey game due to broadcast rights, I decided that I needed to post something else today that stuck with the Olympic hockey theme, but wouldn't break any rules. After all, I don't want the IOC shutting down HBIC over me publishing my thoughts as I watch Canada and Switzerland battle today. That being said, I decided to dive into the Netflix-produced Miracle: The Boys of '80, directed by Max Gershberg and Jacob Rogal. This documentary gathers a vast number of people who either played, called, or lived alongside the people who lived the story of the "Miracle on Ice". Being that I'm Canadian, I may have gone into watching this film by taking the subject matter for granted, but, after watching this documentary, I can honestly say that I have total respect for the men who defeated the Soviet Union after hearing their personal stories at the Lake Placid Olympic Games.

If you go into this expecting the Walt Disney version of Miracle, you won't find it here. Yes, the ending is already known and both movies end the same way, but Miracle: The Boys of '80 looks at the tournament from the perspective of the living members of the 1980 team, Herb Brooks' son and daughter, and the legendary Al Michaels who had the call in that memorable game. The members of the team talk about how the game brought them together and has kept them together throughout history, and there are some emotional moments they discover as players talk about being part of US history.

Obviously, there are some members of the team who have passed away, but it's hard not to have an appreciation for Herb Brooks and what he did to get this team set for the battle of their lives. Brooks' son and daughter describe how their father kept meticulous notes about everyone and everything leading up to and beyond the games as he looked for ways for the US team to succeed. Players described his cold demeanour towards them with anger as they wondered why Brooks seemed to hate them more than their opponents. Of course, hindsight is 20/20, and Brooks is now held in the highest regard.

What makes Miracle: The Boys of '80 so intriguing to me is that there is a ton of unaired footage used in the documentary leading up to and from the 1980 Olympic Games. The archival footage of the team in practice and behind the scenes at the Olympics is incredible, it makes you want to see more of that footage. Of course, the players also get a chance to watch the footage, and the directors capture their reactions and thoughts about the unaired moments from their path to the gold medal. It's these reactions that are entirely worth investing time in this documentary. Some are priceless!

Of course, there are key moments that the directors bring to life with specific shots and archival footage that make the story come alive. There's a segment about how Rob McClanahan was forced to stand on the bench during the Sweden game that needs to be seen, and there's a couple of heavy stories involving Jim Craig and Ken Morrow about how they almost quit due to parents who were battling illnesses. Perhaps the one story that stuck with me after the film ended was that of Steve Janaszak whose Olympic experience was very limited, but his life changed dramatically for the better because of it!

The film runs for an hour and 48 minutes, but it does not drag in its look at the stories about the various members of Team USA. According to an interview the directors did with The Athletic's Sean Gentille, the archival footage came from the Olympic Channel and the IOC, and it makes you wonder what else they may have stored away in whatever vault they keep the footage. Might we see one of these documentaries on the 2002 Winter Olympics one day?

For anyone who wasn't around for the spring of 1980, Miracle: The Boys of '80 might be the most honest, authentic look at how the American college kids upset a team of professional Russian hockey players at the biggest tournament on the planet. There are laughs, smiles, tears, anger, and happiness from the players as viewers will experience their emotions, and the archival footage secured by Gershburg and Rogal make the documentary so much better. Seeing the players' reactions during games to various events is so much better than just having them re-tell that story to the directors, and I admit that I have a new appreciation for that legendary US team!

Teebz's Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5 stars)

Miracle: The Boys of '80 is streaming exclusively on Netflix. The movie was produced by thirteen different people for Olympic Channel, Words + Pictures, and Select Films, and was released on January 30, 2026 exclusively on Netflix. Miracle: The Boys of '80 has a running time of 148 minutes.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!