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"Ordinary Angels" is a movie that announces just what kind of picture it is up front. From its schmaltzy title to its "inspired by a remarkable true story" preface, Jon Gunn's new movie follows the inspirational formula and begs for a tear or two along the way. The biggest surprise about "Ordinary Angels" is that it winds up being effective, rather than nakedly desperate to make an audience weep.

Elevating the movie from its based-on-a-true-story trappings is Hilary Swank's performance. Sure, she's hidden under big curls and a thick Southern accent, but Swank hasn't had a substantive lead performance in quite some time, especially for an actor with two Academy Awards on her mantle. She stars as Sharon Stevens, a hard drinking hairdresser who loves to throw back shots and dance on bars. Sharon's friend Rose (Tamala Jones) is sick of watching her fall down drunk and come late to work the next day. She insists Sharon gets help and starts attending meetings.

Sharon finds help in a different form. In a checkout line, a headline about a sick girl needing help catches her eye and Sharon immediately becomes interested in the family's story. Ed (Alan Ritchson) recently lost his wife and the mother of his kids and now is dealing with his young daughter Michelle's (Emily Mitchell) health issues. Sharon immediately starts helping the family by organizing fundraisers and making phone calls to help expedite necessary medical services. Ed, who barely musters a full sentence to his daughters, is leery of taking help from a complete stranger.

"Ordinary Angels" adheres to its formula with persistence, but the movie hits each point matter-of-factly, without drowning in mawkishness the entire way. It makes the inevitable, aim for the tear ducts third act much more effective without laying it on completely thick throughout.

Swank guides the movie the entire way with her committed and believable performance (give or take some over-the-top accent work) as a woman with demons. Is she helping this family as a good citizen or because she is running from her own troubles? Swank's performance leads you to believe it's a little bit of both, but the movie never lionizes Sharon as some hero swooping in to save the day. She gets the family out of many logistical problems but the movie never stops in its tracks to applaud her. She feels compelled to do so, but then is ready to move on to what they need next.

The movie's evenhandedness, for the most part, is its strength because faith-based movies have never had a good relationship with subtlety. "Ordinary Angels," for all of its been-there, done-that, feels a notch above the rest.