Big Miracle (2012)

Synopsis

Three California gray whales, trapped in a hole in the ice of the Arctic Circle, are discovered by television news reporter Adam Carlson (John Krasinski). Their plight is publicized after he does a feature on them, which he hopes might be his opportunity to move up to a larger TV market. His news story draws international attention and sets into motion a massive effort to free the whales from the ice.

Drawn into the collaborative rescue work are several normally hostile factions: Inupiat whale hunters, a Greenpeace environmental activist, an oil executive, ambitious news reporters, the National Guard, the American president and politicians on the state, national and international levels. Also joining in the effort are two entrepreneurs from Minnesota, who provide de-icing machines to help keep the hole open. Finally an enormous Soviet ice-breaker ship arrives to remove the last barrier before the whales.

Cast

John Krasinski as Adam Carlson
Drew Barrymore as Rachel Kramer
Kristen Bell as Jill Jerard, a news reporter
Vinessa Shaw as Kelly Meyers
Stephen Root as Gov. Haskell
Ted Danson as J.W. McGraw
Kathy Baker as Ruth McGraw
Dermot Mulroney as Colonel Scott Boyer
Rob Riggle as Dean Glowacki
Michael Gaston as Porter Beckford
Megan Angela Smith as Sheena
Tim Blake Nelson as Pat Lafayette
James LeGros as Karl Hootkin
Mark Ivanir as Dimitri
Andrew Daly as Don Davis
Jonathan Slavin as Roger Notch
Gregory Jbara as General Stanton
Tom Clark as Morton Heavey
Sarah Palin as herself (archive footage, as Sarah Heath, in her brief sportscasting career)