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In the small town of Cokeville, Wyoming, a tense situation unfolds when a desperate couple takes elementary school students hostage. The crisis escalates with the threat of a classroom bomb, plunging the community into chaos. Through the recollections of survivors, a local man named Ron Hartley initially approaches the events with skepticism. However, as he listens to their accounts, he begins to question his beliefs and contemplates the possibility of divine intervention during the tragedy, ultimately pondering the extraordinary events of that day.

In the small town of Cokeville, Wyoming, a tense situation unfolds when a desperate couple takes elementary school students hostage. The crisis escalates with the threat of a classroom bomb, plunging the community into chaos. Through the recollections of survivors, a local man named Ron Hartley initially approaches the events with skepticism. However, as he listens to their accounts, he begins to question his beliefs and contemplates the possibility of divine intervention during the tragedy, ultimately pondering the extraordinary events of that day.

Does The Cokeville Miracle have end credit scenes?

No!

The Cokeville Miracle does not have end credit scenes. You can leave when the credits roll.

Meet the Full Cast and Actors of The Cokeville Miracle

Explore the complete cast of The Cokeville Miracle, including both lead and supporting actors. Learn who plays each character, discover their past roles and achievements, and find out what makes this ensemble cast stand out in the world of film and television.


No actors found

Ratings and Reviews for The Cokeville Miracle

See how The Cokeville Miracle is rated across major platforms like IMDb, Metacritic, and TMDb. Compare audience scores and critic reviews to understand where The Cokeville Miracle stands among top-rated movies in its genre.


IMDb

5.6 /10

IMDb Rating

TMDB

64

%

User Score

Letterboxd

2.9

Movie Insider

4.39/5

From 66 fan ratings

Take the Ultimate The Cokeville Miracle Movie Quiz

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The Cokeville Miracle Quiz: Test your knowledge about the events and themes of The Cokeville Miracle.

What is the main internal conflict faced by Ron Hartley?

Full Plot Summary and Ending Explained for The Cokeville Miracle

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Read the complete plot summary of The Cokeville Miracle, including all major events, twists, and the full ending explained in detail. Explore key characters, themes, hidden meanings, and everything you need to understand the story from beginning to end.


In May 1986, the tranquil streets of Cokeville are shattered by the inner turmoil of Ron Hartley, a dedicated cop whose experiences with unspeakable atrocities leave him questioning the existence of a just God. His waning faith leads him to stop attending church with his family, a decision that deeply troubles his wife Claudia and their children Cindy and Jason.

Simultaneously, in Tucson, Arizona, David Young (/actor/david-young), a former town marshal from Cokeville, devises a nefarious scheme. After testing a homemade bomb on an old bus and obliterating it, he proudly shares his success with his second wife Doris. Together with his daughter, Penny from a prior marriage, they travel back to Cokeville, where David gathers supplies and recruits accomplices Gerald Deppe and Doyle Mendenhall to execute his plan.

When Ron is called away from town, Young and his cohorts make their way to the local elementary school. There, he brazenly announces his intention to take the school hostage, believing he has devised a method to cheat death and emerge in a so-called “brave new world,” where he will hold dominion. Deppe and Mendenhall are horrified by Young’s delusions, yet he handcuffs them and leaves them behind in his van, as he, Doris, and Penny infiltrate the school.

Eventually, Penny grapples with her conscience and confronts her father about his malevolent plans. Refusing to assist further, she commandeers the van and races to town hall, uniting with Deppe, Mendenhall, and authorities. Inside the school, Young takes control of Room 4, using Doris to entice teachers and students into the room, including Hartley’s children Cindy and Jason. Revealing his sinister intentions, he discloses that the bomb is rigged with a dead man’s switch, set to explode if he is harmed or if anyone dares to escape. He demands that Principal Max Excell call the authorities and deliver a ransom demand of $2 million per child, thereby locking the school in a desperate standoff.

As news of the harrowing hostage situation spreads through Cokeville, anxious parents and emergency responders converge on the scene, their collective anxiety palpable. Unbeknownst to them, Ron is racing back, plagued by doubts about a higher power’s existence: “Why would this atrocity be allowed to unfold?”

Inside the school, gas begins seeping from the bomb, creating a thick air of tension as the educators struggle to keep the children calm. In a desperate attempt to manage the situation, they convince Young to allow doors and windows to be opened for ventilation.

Young descends further into instability, attempting to create a “magic square” with masking tape on the floor—a futile venture to maintain order among the children. In a fateful turn of events, as he steps into the bathroom, Doris inadvertently triggers the bomb’s ignition mechanism, setting forth a catastrophic series of events.

The room erupts in chaos as flames engulf the area, with shrapnel raining down upon helpless victims. Teachers frantically evacuate children through the open doors as Young returns, fixated on the burning figure of Doris, whom he fatally shoots. Another teacher, John Miller, is struck down as Young retreats into the bathroom, ultimately taking his own life.

In the aftermath, Cindy and Jason face the challenges of recovering from their burns and minor injuries, while their parents grow concerned for Jason, who reveals that he saw figures in white—believed to be angels—who offered him reassurance amid the chaos. He identifies one of these beings as his deceased great-grandmother, suggesting a premonitory connection to the calamity.

As Ron grapples with Jason’s peculiar experiences, Claudia urges him to seek further proof. Thus begins his quest for the truth, as he visits families recounting eerily similar encounters with departed loved ones leading up to the explosion. Each account leaves him pondering the bizarre nature of these coincidences. The principal and bomb expert investigating the incident provide detailed explanations of the implausible events that allowed many to survive—such as wires mysteriously severing before detonation and the blast force being directed upwards.

Despite this overwhelming evidence, Ron harbors skepticism, torn by doubts and resentments. The following Sunday, Jason draws Ron into church, leading him to confront his fears and loathing towards the Youngs for what they had done. As he navigates these emotional waters, he hears a sermon stressing that “hatred serves no one,” especially not the innocent victims of the bombing. With children singing nearby—many of whom lived through the horrific events—Ron experiences an epiphany as he turns to God and his family, seeking forgiveness and a renewed commitment to compassion, faith, and redemption.

As he embraces a journey of healing and personal growth, Ron begins to face his emotional turmoil, taking the first steps towards reconciling with the past and finding hope in the future.

Uncover the Details: Timeline, Characters, Themes, and Beyond!

Watch Trailers, Clips & Behind-the-Scenes for The Cokeville Miracle

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Watch official trailers, exclusive clips, cast interviews, and behind-the-scenes footage from The Cokeville Miracle. Dive deeper into the making of the film, its standout moments, and key production insights.


The Cokeville Miracle Trailer 2015

Cars Featured in The Cokeville Miracle

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Explore all cars featured in The Cokeville Miracle, including their makes, models, scenes they appear in, and their significance to the plot. A must-read for car enthusiasts and movie buffs alike.


Chevrolet

C/K-Series

Chevrolet

2000

Impala

Dodge

2005

Grand Caravan

Ford

1998

Contour

Ford

2006

Crown Victoria

HME

1871

Honda

1996

Civic

IC

CE

Toyota

1996

Corolla

Movie Themes and Keywords

Discover the central themes, ideas, and keywords that define the movie’s story, tone, and message. Analyze the film’s deeper meanings, genre influences, and recurring concepts.


religious filmpolice officerschoolteacherhostageelementary schoolmiraclecommunityheld hostageghostspiritimprovised explosive devicedivine interventioninvestigationforensic pathologylittle boylittle girlnon believerbelieverspiritualityfaithchristian filmchristianityprayerreference to godinsane manloss of faithchristianangelbased on true storyinterviewsheriff's deputysheriffbuilding on firemisfireevacuationsabotagehusband wife relationshipfather son relationshipyear 1986visionchristian propaganda

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