Writer of Pop Culture

I first watched a screener of Ordinary Angels during the summer of 2023. At the time, the film that stars Hilary Swank and Alan Ritchson was to debut last October. I got a chance to interview Kevin Downes, one of the producers of the movie in late August and I was looking forward to writing my review. However, it was decided to delay the release of the movie due to a fear of competition from Taylor Swift’s concert film, The Eras Tour. Finally, Ordinary Angels is being released this month and I can finally talk about it.

Produced by Kingdom Story Company and distributed by Lionsgate, Ordinary Angels is inspired by a true story of an unlikely friendship. Taking place in a small town somewhere in Kentucky, Swank plays Sharon Stevens. She’s an alcoholic hairdresser who has a hard time admitting to herself that she has a problem. However, with encouragement from her friend (played by Tamala Jones), Sharon attempts to do better with her life. She learns about Ed Schmitt (Ritchson) who is not only a widower struggling to make ends meet. He works overtime to care for Michelle, his five-year-old daughter who is waiting to receive a liver transplant. So moved by the story written in the local newspaper, Sharon decides that helping this family is her destiny. She starts her own fundraiser for the family that she’s never met.

Ed isn’t interested in receiving any handouts. His mother (played by Nancy Travis) helps take care of his two young girls. When Sharon arrives at Ed’s doorstep while an envelope full of cash, he wants to send her on his way, but mom invites her in for dinner. He says to his mother, “She’s a mess” to which she says, “Well fine then. She’ll fit right in.”

However, this little family dinner isn’t enough for Sharon. She wants to help this family more, something that Ed is resistant to. But Sharon explains, “I just a ticked off hairdresser with a splittin’ headache. I’m good at plenty of things. Taking no for an answer ain’t one of them.”

Soon, Sharon is neglecting her job and enmeshes herself into Ed’s family taking over paying Ed’s bills, finding ways to raise more money for the numerous medical bills and taking care of his kids. And again, Ed pushes back.

“I’m not comfortable with this. I’m her father. I’m supposed to be the one taking care of her,” says Ed. Sharon replies, “You’re just gonna have to get comfortable being uncomfortable because this isn’t about you.”

So begins an unlikely friendship between the two which never turns into anything romantic. But they are an odd couple. He doesn’t have anyone fighting in his corner because he won’t let anyone in to help. Sharon just bulldozes past him. However, it is revealed that she is hiding a secret or two of her own.

Swank’s performance is similar to Julia Roberts’ interpretation of Erin Brockovich from a few year’s back. She’s loud, brassy and always has to be right. She plays it close to being over-the-top but knows when to pull back her performance.

Ritchson is nothing like his “Reacher” character. He comfortable in this loner role, like a pair of well-worn boots. He’s the most believable in the cast. Travis is surprisingly good at playing grandma. She gets a few good one-liners too.

Ordinary Angels is directed by Jon Gunn who has produced a number of films from 2004’s My Date with Drew to last year’s hit, Jesus Revolution. Although Ordinary Angels is a faith-based movie, it doesn’t really feel like one. With the exception of little Michelle playing the perfect little charming cherub, this film portrays real people like real people, warts and all. Topics like alcoholism and neglect are presented and unlike some other movies that rhyme with smallmark, there is no romance in this story. It’s a heartwarming story that shies away from too much cheesiness, but faith is front a center even if it is misguided at times.

Main Image: Lionsgate