Alan Ritchson portrays Ed Schmitt in a scene from the film “Ordinary Angels.” The faith-focused film will screen beginning Feb. 22 at YES Cinema in downtown Columbus.
Photo provided
Pastor Ron Bridgewater of East Columbus Christian Church sees the big screen as a medium with a big message.
And he’s excited to see it occasionally highlight a distinct message of hope and faith.
Which explains why he already has bought out one entire 177-seat YES Cinema local showing Feb. 25 of the new movie “Ordinary Angels” starring Oscar winner Hillary Swank. She plays a struggling hairdresser and recovering alcoholic who fiercely rallies an entire community to help a Christian, single dad (Alan Ritchson) caring for two young daughters, including one who is critically ill and needs a liver transplant.
Bridgewater is so taken by the true story flick, with connections to Southeast Christian Church (the same denomination as Bridgewater’s flock) in Louisville, Kentucky, that he is spinning off a four-week sermon series in March. The series, taken from Southeast Christian’s series, carries the same title as the film and features clips and themes from the movie.
The film opens Feb. 22 at YES.
“The whole idea of the movie is to find your life’s purpose,” Bridgewater said. “And part of that idea is that there is purpose even amid pain. And there’s purpose even in brokenness.”
He acknowledged that actress Swank’s involvement gives credence that “this is not just another cheesy Christian film.” He aims to build an awareness of the film to interest other churches or ministries in buying tickets — to help believers see where God might be guiding them in everyday life.
YES Cinema staff has even said they will schedule private showings for churches or groups.
Spencer Heaton, worship minister at East Columbus Christian Church, saw the full movie a few months ago at a special screening during a ministry conference in Nashville, Tennessee. He was impressed and loved it.
“It is well acted, well directed, and well executed,” Heaton said.
“In a lot of ways it reminds me of the book of Ruth from the Bible. In the book of Ruth, God is mentioned by people, but he does not speak one time, and he doesn’t make an obvious appearance. But when you read it you can see how he is orchestrating these events for his purpose.
“That is very similar to this movie. It’s not like the main characters spend every other scene in a church — you don’t see them praying every other minute — (and) there’s not some scene where someone has a vision.
“But as the story goes along, you can see that God can use ordinary people, whether that’s Ruth or Sharon (Hillary Swank’s character) to do extraordinary things.”
Randy Allman is executive director of the nonprofit Lincoln-Central Neighborhood Family Center, which operates the cinema. He and his staff regularly have booked faith-oriented films there as part of the theater’s normal offerings and encourages audiences to support them.
“Faith-themed movies are huge, and many of our audience members love them,” Allman said. “Recently, they have become big business, often tackling controversial and relevant issues facing our country. We absolutely love offering these films to everyone who has a desire to see them in a friendly, stigma-free environment.”
Locally and nationally, probably the strongest support for a faith-based film unfolded 20 years ago in February 2004 when director Mel Gibson released his Lenten-themed “The Passion of the Christ.” Bartholomew County churches, fueled by pastors who had seen Gibson’s special screenings months earlier, bought out entire blocks of shows for a couple weeks at the then-Showplace 12 Cinemas and distributed purchased tickets to church members and friends.
Some local ministers even extended invitations to people at the end of the film to make a profession of faith.
Yet, this film’s faith focus is more subtle about sacrificial love, with Swank’s character moved by 1994 media coverage of a 5-year-old girl’s desperate need for a life-saving transplant when a heavy snowstorm hits Louisville, where the child lives.
“I feel like if the local faith community knows that this a faith-oriented movie,” Bridgewater said, “then it will be supported well.”
For tickets and times
Go to yescinema.org.
