by Josh Sewell
Ordinary Angels
(Rated PG for thematic content, brief bloody images and smoking. Opens in theaters on February 23.)
Faith-based films have a history of preaching to the choir. They begin with a sermon and craft a plot barely strong enough to drape it over, resulting in thin characters that serve as a mouthpiece for a particular religious belief or political platform (or sometimes both simultaneously). That’s why I was nervous about this weekend’s Ordinary Angels.
Thanks to a powerful trailer and stronger-than-usual cast, I had a feeling it would be better than hateful dreck like God’s Not Dead or sappy, well-meaning melodramas like I Still Believe and I Can Only Imagine. Still, I was worried it could easily fall into the same narrative traps as promising-but-flawed movies like Jesus Revolution and Miracles from Heaven.
I’m happy to admit that worry was unfounded. Ordinary Angels is one of the most effective faith-based movies in recent memory. That’s because it lets interesting characters – portrayed by terrific actors – live out its message rather than beating audiences into submission or subjecting them to nonstop guilt trips. I guess that tends to happen when the main protagonist is played by a two-time Best Actress recipient.
The poignant drama centers on Sharon Stevens (Hilary Swank, the aforementioned Oscar winner), a hairdresser in small-town Kentucky who discovers a renewed sense of purpose when she learns about the tribulations of the Schmitt family. Ed (Alan Ritchson, best known as the titular hero of Amazon’s hit series Reacher) just lost his wife (Amy Acker) to a rare genetic disorder and now he’s barely making ends meet as he cares for his two daughters (Skywalker Hughes and Emily Mitchell). His youngest is waiting for a life-saving liver transplant, but doctors are concerned she won’t make it that long because she’s deteriorating too fast.
As medical bills pile up with no end in sight, Ed and his mother (Nancy Travis) are running out of options. Enter Sharon, who takes it upon herself to fundraise for the family and approach local corporations in an effort to utilize their sizable resources. However, Ed and Sharon’s closest friend (Tamala Jones) wonder if all this effort is a way for her to avoid facing her own demons.
Despite running a bit long at two hours, Ordinary Angels is a simple, affecting drama that shows the lengths a father will go to in order to protect his family. Granted, director Jon Gunn, along with screenwriters Meg Tilly and Kelly Fremon Craig (responsible for last year’s criminally underseen Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.), hammer home the same story points a few too many times. However, when your cast is as talented as this one, I understand the temptation to let them swing for the fences as much as possible.
Not only does Swank pull off a convincing southern accent (a feat she’s accomplished in her previous work), she also makes her character’s battle with alcoholism feel much more realistic than movies usually allow. She understands that most intoxicated people don’t lean into clichéd slurred speech and wobbly gait – instead, they try desperately (usually in vain) to pretend they’re sober. What’s more, the film gets that overcoming addiction isn’t a straight line; setbacks are a part of the process because the struggle is ongoing.
For me, the biggest surprise in Ordinary Angels is Ritchson’s quietly devastating performance. Because of the actor’s hulking stature and the butt-kicking role he’s famous for, it would be easy to assume he’s a one-trick pony: adept at glowering and fight sequences. His work here disproves that. As a grieving widow desperately trying to shield his daughters from the world crumbling around them, his stoicism serves as a shield to mask deep anxiety, fear and anger.
There’s a heartbreaking scene in the movie’s second half when the family finally catches a break – albeit a temporary one – and Ed excuses himself, finally allowing the mask to fall once he’s alone. It’s by far the film’s most powerful moment because Ritchson understands how important it is for his character to finally let go of everything he’s been carrying for so long; his catharsis truly feels earned.
Finally, a quick heads-up. After a post-screening Google search, I was a bit disheartened to learn Ordinary Angels fails to disclose a devastating postscript to the Schmitt family’s story (which I won’t reveal here). On one hand, I get wanting to send viewers out of the theater on a positive note. But it sets them up for a brutal gut-punch if they decide to learn more about the true story on their own. Regardless, it’s weird this is two films in a row (following Jesus Revolution) that Gunn hides key information about a character from the audience. It’s a concerning trend.
Grade: B
Home Entertainment Spotlight
Paprika
(Rated R for violent and sexual images. Now available in a limited edition 4K Ultra HD Steelbook.)
In this gripping 2006 anime thriller from acclaimed director Satoshi Kon, a revolutionary machine that allows scientists to enter and record a subject’s dream is stolen. To prevent it from falling into the wrong hands, a fearless detective and brilliant therapist must join forces and find it before a “dream terrorist” does. Special features include filmmaker commentary; a making-of documentary; behind-the-scenes featurettes; storyboards and original drawings; and theatrical trailers.
(Rated PG for thematic content, brief bloody images and smoking. Opens in theaters on February 23.)
Faith-based films have a history of preaching to the choir. They begin with a sermon and craft a plot barely strong enough to drape it over, resulting in thin characters that serve as a mouthpiece for a particular religious belief or political platform (or sometimes both simultaneously). That’s why I was nervous about this weekend’s Ordinary Angels.
Thanks to a powerful trailer and stronger-than-usual cast, I had a feeling it would be better than hateful dreck like God’s Not Dead or sappy, well-meaning melodramas like I Still Believe and I Can Only Imagine. Still, I was worried it could easily fall into the same narrative traps as promising-but-flawed movies like Jesus Revolution and Miracles from Heaven.
I’m happy to admit that worry was unfounded. Ordinary Angels is one of the most effective faith-based movies in recent memory. That’s because it lets interesting characters – portrayed by terrific actors – live out its message rather than beating audiences into submission or subjecting them to nonstop guilt trips. I guess that tends to happen when the main protagonist is played by a two-time Best Actress recipient.
The poignant drama centers on Sharon Stevens (Hilary Swank, the aforementioned Oscar winner), a hairdresser in small-town Kentucky who discovers a renewed sense of purpose when she learns about the tribulations of the Schmitt family. Ed (Alan Ritchson, best known as the titular hero of Amazon’s hit series Reacher) just lost his wife (Amy Acker) to a rare genetic disorder and now he’s barely making ends meet as he cares for his two daughters (Skywalker Hughes and Emily Mitchell). His youngest is waiting for a life-saving liver transplant, but doctors are concerned she won’t make it that long because she’s deteriorating too fast.
As medical bills pile up with no end in sight, Ed and his mother (Nancy Travis) are running out of options. Enter Sharon, who takes it upon herself to fundraise for the family and approach local corporations in an effort to utilize their sizable resources. However, Ed and Sharon’s closest friend (Tamala Jones) wonder if all this effort is a way for her to avoid facing her own demons.
Despite running a bit long at two hours, Ordinary Angels is a simple, affecting drama that shows the lengths a father will go to in order to protect his family. Granted, director Jon Gunn, along with screenwriters Meg Tilly and Kelly Fremon Craig (responsible for last year’s criminally underseen Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.), hammer home the same story points a few too many times. However, when your cast is as talented as this one, I understand the temptation to let them swing for the fences as much as possible.
Not only does Swank pull off a convincing southern accent (a feat she’s accomplished in her previous work), she also makes her character’s battle with alcoholism feel much more realistic than movies usually allow. She understands that most intoxicated people don’t lean into clichéd slurred speech and wobbly gait – instead, they try desperately (usually in vain) to pretend they’re sober. What’s more, the film gets that overcoming addiction isn’t a straight line; setbacks are a part of the process because the struggle is ongoing.
For me, the biggest surprise in Ordinary Angels is Ritchson’s quietly devastating performance. Because of the actor’s hulking stature and the butt-kicking role he’s famous for, it would be easy to assume he’s a one-trick pony: adept at glowering and fight sequences. His work here disproves that. As a grieving widow desperately trying to shield his daughters from the world crumbling around them, his stoicism serves as a shield to mask deep anxiety, fear and anger.
There’s a heartbreaking scene in the movie’s second half when the family finally catches a break – albeit a temporary one – and Ed excuses himself, finally allowing the mask to fall once he’s alone. It’s by far the film’s most powerful moment because Ritchson understands how important it is for his character to finally let go of everything he’s been carrying for so long; his catharsis truly feels earned.
Finally, a quick heads-up. After a post-screening Google search, I was a bit disheartened to learn Ordinary Angels fails to disclose a devastating postscript to the Schmitt family’s story (which I won’t reveal here). On one hand, I get wanting to send viewers out of the theater on a positive note. But it sets them up for a brutal gut-punch if they decide to learn more about the true story on their own. Regardless, it’s weird this is two films in a row (following Jesus Revolution) that Gunn hides key information about a character from the audience. It’s a concerning trend.
Grade: B
Home Entertainment Spotlight
(Rated R for violent and sexual images. Now available in a limited edition 4K Ultra HD Steelbook.)
In this gripping 2006 anime thriller from acclaimed director Satoshi Kon, a revolutionary machine that allows scientists to enter and record a subject’s dream is stolen. To prevent it from falling into the wrong hands, a fearless detective and brilliant therapist must join forces and find it before a “dream terrorist” does. Special features include filmmaker commentary; a making-of documentary; behind-the-scenes featurettes; storyboards and original drawings; and theatrical trailers.
Reach out to Josh Sewell at joshsewell81@gmail.com
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