No one recognizes a good movie anymore and this is a good movie about family and faith and how we lean on those in a crisis. It's based on a true story which makes it that much more amazing. Dennis Quaid delivers as a devout family man who is put in an impossible situation. He is a good actor and one who has improved over the years and he is great in this role. Heather Graham is his incredibly hot sweet wife and she does well although it seems like her prayers are a bit stilted. All the smaller roles are well played and make it clear these are based on real people.
I love this film's commitment to tell the real story and it's well done. I promise you'll be on the edge of your seat as you watch a family in the crucible. It's a great family film, something you can watch with your children and it's refreshing to see faith played out in the lives of real people.
After John Cena's groveling video in Mandarin to China. I will never see anything that includes him in it, period. As far as I'm concerned he represents the true nature of Hollywood, chasing a buck from slave owning cyber/economic terrorists and thugs.
Ignore the cynics. This is a sweet family film you can watch with your pre-teens. It shows a family's love for each other and the resilience of the family bond. It's never going to win an Oscar, but every parent and child can relate to this film and that is an achievement. Besides it has Jennifer Gardner and she literally breaks the cute meter.
Watch it as a family and enjoy!
This is the kind of movie that flyover country want Hollywood to make. At its essence it's the story of a woman who fights the demons and failures in her own life by essentially becoming an angel to a family truly in need. She takes on the burdens of this family to avoid dealing with her own life and in the process is transformed through these acts of pure selfless kindness.
Hillary Swank puts on an Oscar worthy performance as Sharon Stevens, our ordinary angel. She slows us all sides of this character, both highs and lows. This is a top actress at the top of her game and she delivers.
Alan Richson, of Reacher fame, plays the family's father Ed Schmitt. Just based on the physical size of RIchson, I thought this would be a stretch, but not at all. Richson delivers an amazing performance, filled with nuance and emotion. He has an amazing way of drawing you into his character and feeling his desperation and urgency.
All the supporting characters add to the sense of community and love the film delivers in bunches. This kind of flyover country optimism is frowned upon by professional film critics who are mostly cynical elitists who enjoy watching perversion and destruction.
So ignore the useless critics and go see this movie. It's so worth your time and money and you'll leave the theater feeling better for it.
