Hilary Swank has enough faith to win us over.
Less than 20 years after starring in the critically panned biblical horror film “The Reaping,” Hilary Swank is back with another faith-based movie. But it’s a drama based on a true story called “Ordinary Angels.” I would say it’s better than that film, because of the commitment that this two-time Oscar winner puts in her character.
I’ve gone through a point when I stopped watching faith-based dramas, because they have been corny and poorly acted. The worst one I saw was “God’s Not Dead.” And I still can’t watch every religious inspired movie, but there are times when I decide to give some the BOTD, like “Breakthrough” or “Jesus Revolution.” And I added “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret” on my Best of 2023 list. “Ordinary Angels,” whose screenplay was co-written by Kelly Fremon Craig of that gem and actress Meg Tilly (“Body Snatchers,” “The Big Chill”), is not up to the level of that masterpiece, but it is another recent one I liked.
As the movie opens, we see family man Ed Schmitt (Alan Ritchson) losing his wife Theresa (Amy Acker) to a rare disease known as Wegener’s disease, and finds out their youngest daughter-the 5-year-old Michelle-has been diagnosed with an incurable disease known as Biliary Atresia. And her only hope is a liver transplant.
This starts to depress Ed further, as he can’t afford the operation and has lost his faith in God for obvious reasons. His mother Barbara (Nancy Travis) tries to be his voice of reasoning. Thank God they aren’t characters in “God’s Not Dead.” No offense up there (I can’t tell if he would wither say: “Offense taken” or “None taken” right now).
Then, we meet an alcoholic hairdresser named Sharon Stevens (Swank), whose mother was lousy and whose friend and co-worker Rose (Tamala Jones) tries to be her voice of reasoning. Another voice of reasoning in this movie. She comes across a newspaper article covering Michelle’s condition, and decides to find a way to raise money for her operation with a 24 hour “HAIR-A-THON.” She, at least, buys the family some time, but the operation is still unaffordable.
Despite Ed’s cynicism (you know how grieving single fathers get), Sharon begins an odyssey to help him and his family out. Even if it means assembling the community when a major snowstorm threatens a life or death situation for Michelle. I wasn’t really convinced by Ritchson’s performance, because he seems more built and less vulnerabilities as the father. And I don’t like how he wears a suit for a job interview, because he looks like he’s going to appear in a porno.
The cliches in the film have to include an estranged relationship between Sharon and her musician son Derek (Dempsey Bryk), and respective criticism from Rose and Ed towards the main heroine. So, “Ordinary Angels” is not a perfect movie, but there are enough qualities for me to recommend it, such as Swank’s performance and the challenges of saving a dying girl’s life. It’s all regarding finances, cynicism, and the winter storm from 1994. I actually felt tears regarding the fate of this little girl, even though we can tell things will turn out alright. I don’t think there would be a recent faith-based drama when a miracle can’t happen. Or maybe there has been. Again, I haven’t seen every movie of the genre.
So, if you do have to deal with these cliches in “Ordinary Angels,” consider yourselves lucky you didn’t see “The Reaping” back. in 2007. I’m just saying. I’ve only seen part of it, and it was pretty bad. A sin against the cinema. I’ll took my chances here, and I’m glad I did.