There are different kinds of healing journeys. In the new film The Miracle Club, which opens in theaters Friday, we have a group of women who begin with the idea they’re on one kind of healing journey. Instead, they end up finding a different kind of healing; one which allows them to salve the wounds of the past.

The film is set in a small town in Ireland. Chrissie (Laura Linney) is returning to her hometown, a place she hasn’t been in quite some time. She was banished years ago. But now she’s returned because her mother has passed away. When she arrives at the church, Father Byrne (Mark O’Halloran) tells her that the real celebration of her mother’s life will come later.

Her mother’s close friends—Lily (Maggie Smith), Eileen (Kathy Bates) and Dolly (Agnes O’Casey)—perform at the party. Chrissie is leery to make contact, and it turns out that’s with good reason. She receives an icy reception from Lily and Eileen. But Lily, Eileen and Dolly all have need of healing, and they hope to find it in the miracle waters of Lourdes, France. Lily has pain in her leg, Eileen is worried she might have cancer and Dolly is hoping to help her son finally speak.

Chrissie is invited to make the trip. While she’s at first hesitant, she ends up making the journey. In Lourdes, the pools aren’t what they expected but the time together, on the road, forces Chrissie, Lily and Eileen to confront the hurt of the past and see if they can find a way to make peace and move forward, together.

I love smaller, personal stories. We’re in the midst of a summer season where action and blockbusters rule the day. While that is fun in its own way, these stories of people and their deeply personal journeys often are more resonant. That’s the case with The Miracle Club, which makes the most of its actors and its story to tug at the heartstrings.

I appreciate the performances here. Linney, Bates and Smith are all strong, and their relationships and sequences together are quite moving. This is particularly true of Linney, who delivers one of the film’s most emotional sequences as she finally faces the truth of the turn in her life and the regrets that have led her back home.

Director Thaddeus O’Sullivan delivers a film that moves at a nice pace. There are some well-crafted sequences and at just 91 minutes the film doesn’t overstay its welcome. There are some laughs and plenty of pathos. It is a beautiful journey that I was glad to have taken.

Sometimes these smaller films get lost this time of year, but The Miracle Club is worth checking out.

Matthew Fox is a graduate of the Radio, Television and Film program at Biola University, and a giant nerd. He spends his free time watching movies, TV, and obsessing about football. He is a member of the FSWA. You can find him @knighthawk7734 on Twitter and as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast.