Ordinary Angels

This resent Amazon release is inspiring reflecting the best in human efforts. Community is essential. Most are unaware or ignorant of how important connection between people truly is. In recent studies many people were surveyed as to what they believe was most important in health. The vast majority responded that diet and exercise were primary reason for a healthy long life. Stats showed although these are important, human socialization is key to this. Not social media, email, Facebook or any other latest craze but physical contact with other people is paramount. It's who we are, a tactile species. Family, friends, co-workers and extended family is what keeps us going. This film typifies that human condition when a woman decided to intercede in a families loss and helps a dying child survive.

Adam Ritchson & Hillary Swank both turned in top notch performances. Nancy Travis is solid as usual. The young ladies playing the sisters turned in great performances as well. The movie itself brought this grown man to tears. The mixture of both lead characters battling their demons only added to the movie's emotional impact. The struggle with addiction portrayed by Swank was heart wrenching and very believable. Ritchson's tears and anguish was a gut punch in reality. The mixture of love, loss, sadness, faith and joy has the viewer twisted emotionally throughout the film. I highly recommend this film.

I was really looking froward to this movie when I saw the trailer - it didn't disappoint.

Troubled Sharon (Hillary Swank), while struggling with her own alcohol addiction, finds a new calling in her life to help a family: Ed (Alan Ritchson) is a widow with two girls, one of whom has a liver disease and not only are the medical bills up the roof, but the little girl also needs a liver transplant. Sharon is a big-mouthed, loud and cheerful woman, also pushy, and someone who doesn't take no for an answer. Her assertiveness and lack of ability to respect boundaries makes her succeed in all the activities, fundraisers and meetings she organises to help the family financially. It is also something that you kind of question, whether it was actually true: did this family just let her in their home so easily? Accept the money and let her look after the girls too, when she was a complete stranger? .

Hillary Swank and Alan Ritschon have great chemistry, the dialogues are funny, with some scenes pretty hilarious. Some parts are really hard to believe, but overall it is an enjoyable movie.

BRAVO! TEN OF TEN STARS!!!! This is a wild ride with many ups and downs. It is a beautifully told story of a family struggling with insurmountable obstacles. The acting is brilliant. The young girls are very believable, and often hard to watch in their hardships. Hillary Swank deserves to win awards for her role. Alan Ritchson (7ft Reacher Actor) plays a wonderful father who will do anything for his family. Bring a box of tissues, this has several tear jerking moments. This movie will give you hope for humanity, it shows how the love of a community can get together to overcome anything. Perhaps the best film of 2024.

Based on a remarkable true story, ORDINARY ANGELS centers on Sharon Steves (Hilary Swank), a fierce but struggling hairdresser in small-town Kentucky who discovers a renewed sense of purpose when she meets Ed Schmitt (Alan Ritchson), a widower working hard to make ends meet for his two daughters. With his youngest daughter waiting for a liver transplant, Sharon sets her mind to helping the family and will move mountains to do it.

I only watched this because I like Hilary Swank, and she did not disappoint. In fact there was not a single bad actor in the entire film. From the receptionist to the 5 year old girl they all played a blinding part and made you totally absorbed and immersed in the story. A true story too.

It's a feel good story with no romance or magic or miracles, just plain people coming together to help other plain people out. It shows what can be possible when we all get together and really try.

I loved the real footage from the time which underscored how ordinary people with a little faith and a lot of human kindness moved mountains to save one little girl.

Believe in good.

A solid 8 from me.