Ordinary Angels

Hilary Swank turns in quite a strong performance here as Sharon Stevens. She's an hairdresser with a penchant for the bottle - and for denial - who just happens upon a rather sad newspaper article whilst buying her morning six-pack. The headline features the story of the young girl Michelle (Emily Mitchell) who has just lost her mother and whose father is having to come to terms with her own impending liver failure. After many years of medical treatment, the family are over $400,000 in debt and with the vultures closing in on them, she decides to raise some money to help them out. Father Ed (Alan Ritchson) is a proud man. Not stubborn, just determined that he will keep his family and his home together, so he slightly resents Sharon's self-appointment in his affairs. Luckily his mother (Nancy Travis) sees the sense in her activities and together they all work to raise the funds - and sort out the logistics - so they can secure a transplant for the youngster. Swank reminded me of Jane Fonda for much of this drama, and at times her characterisation of a woman with demons of her own is quite effectively annoying as she interferes at will. Ritchson also delivers potently and the young Mitchell evokes a combination of spiritedness and determination that provides this true story is quite a decent validation of just what can be achieved against formidable odds when driven by a can-do attitude, some human decency and an helicopter.