Netflix’s ‘Miracle: The Boys of ’80’ proves some victories never get old

Netflix sports documentaries have a well-earned reputation for being inconsistent. In the streamer’s zeal to produce content that aligns with viewership goals, it often alienates its target audience by failing to do its due diligence when examining subjects or topics.

There are often omissions, whether intentional or accidental. There is often a lack of proper context. And sometimes these sports docs just aren’t very interesting. However, credit where credit is due. Netflix’s latest sports offering is a winner.

Miracle: The Boys of ’80 is a thoughtful, timely look back at the greatest upset in sports history. Team USA’s victory over the Soviet Union en route to gold at the 1980 Winter Olympics remains a seminal moment. America had never seen anything quite like it and probably never will again.

Directed by Max Gershberg and Jacob Rogal, Miracle: The Boys of ’80 delivers what all Netflix docs should strive for—a fresh look at a captivating event with the proper perspective. 

One of the best things about Miracle: The Boys of ’80 is that it gives viewers a sense of what this country was like at the time. National morale was low, unemployment and inflation were high, and there was a crisis of confidence in the country’s direction. America and the Soviet Union were also in the midst of the Cold War, with heightened tensions between them. 

Sports can’t usually solve real-life problems. However, Team USA’s stunning victory provided a rallying point that united a troubled nation. That spirit is perfectly captured in this documentary. Using archival footage and interviews with the players, Miracle: The Boys of ’80 offers a behind-the-scenes look at the events leading up to the victory at Lake Placid, New York. The stories told by Team USA members like Jack O’Callahan, Jim Craig, and Mike Eruzione are rich in detail, painting a vivid picture.

One of the best stories comes from backup goalie Steve Janaszak, the lone member of the team who didn’t see any action at the Olympics. He has a great anecdote about how he met his wife. Little moments like that make documentaries even more appealing. 

The architect of this upset is deceased. Team USA coach Herb Brooks died in 2003. For some, the image of Brooks is synonymous with actor Kurt Russell, who portrayed him in the 2004 movie Miracle. In Miracle: The Boys of ’80, we get a clearer picture of Brooks through his players and his children. In the documentary, the players have great respect for Brooks, whose obsession with beating the Russians was a driving force behind the victory. 

However, what also stands out is how the players wish they had a warmer relationship with Brooks. Hearing them express those feelings is one of the documentary’s best moments. It is a sad yet unsurprising revelation that Brooks never allowed himself to be one of the boys, not even after they won the gold medal by beating Finland. One player summed it up perfectly: “I wish I could have known him as a person.”

Miracle: The Boys of ’80 is streaming now on Netflix.