Ordinary Miracles (2005)

Very Cool!!!

Self-important, over-dramatic, uninspired.

Close shines in drama with strong language, adult themes.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Ordinary Miracles is a TV movie on Hallmark Channel that features Jaclyn Smith,Lyndsy Fonseca and C. Thomas Howell together with Sarah Aldrich,Corbin Bernsen and Erik Eidem.The film was about a troubled teen that is scooped up by a tough San Diego judge whose conscience causes her to bring the girl home with her to live when together they face tons of insecurities and personal problems to forge a special bond in this tale of survival, love and family.It was directed by Michael Switzer.Kay Woodbury is a tough, no-nonsense judge whose intractability in legal matters is intensified by a number of personal crises, including a bitter feud with her jurist father and her anguish over the recent remarriage of her ex-husband. Thus, Kay is no mood to play nice when teenager Sally Powell is brought before her. Harboring an intense hatred for the father who apparently abandoned her, Sally is a seemingly incorrigible delinquent who has already sent away from four foster homes. Figuring that she could no worse than anyone else, Kay takes Sally home on a trial basis. The girl proceeds to behave as atrociously as possible, but surprisingly Kay does not decide to write her off as a bad job, but instead concludes that what the girl needs is someone to trust and something to believe in. In this spirit, Kay locates Sally's birth father and upon being convinced that he was not motivated by selfishness when he dropped out of his daughter's life, secretly contrives for Sally and her dad to reconnect.In so doing, Kay finds her own way toward forgiveness, not only of those whom she feels have wronged her, but also of herself. This TV movie is an entertaining character study between two people who learn from each other.In this case,it is a judge and a juvenile delinquent.It is a good drama and well-acted one especially with Jaclyn Smith playing Judge Kay Woodbury. Don't miss it on DVD whenever you get an opportunity to rent it.

Recently broadcast for the first time on British TV, I was rather pleased with this film which simply details the trials and tribulations of growing up without stability in a family home. When Judge Kay Woodbury takes in troubled 16-year-old Sally Powell, they get off to a bad start, but gradually start to respect one another....Young actress Lyndsy Fonseca is very convincing as Sally, an understandably angry (and also sad) teenager who finds it difficult to fit in. Jaclyn Smith also makes light of her role as caring Judge Woodbury, who apart for upholding the law, is a woman who leads a solitary existence....Ordinary Miracles is not a unique story in any way, but the taut direction and beautiful settings make it more than just a typical television film. The attention to detail is immense, and viewers can certainly imagine the emotions of the characters. Great interaction between Jaclyn and C. Thomas Howell too, who portrays a seemingly ordinary man who must face up to his past. It was a pleasure to watch them together, and Jaclyn has certainly kept her beauty - hard to believe she was pushing 60 at the time!This is a fine film and certainly one of Jaclyn's best TVMs in recent years (indeed, her first tele-movie since 2000's Navigating the Heart), even if the ending is pretty predictable. A good effort from all concerned.

Hallmark is known for showing excellent movies. This one in particular was very good. I would think that it's about family and finding a place where you belong. Sally is this beautiful and bright girl who hides behind dark makeup and dark clothes because of the disappointment of being rejected four times as a foster child. Jaclyn Smith plays the character, Kay, who is a Judge and takes Sally in and finds the courage to bring her into her life. She encounters the swift announcement of her ex-husband getting remarried and is dealing with a straining relationship with her father due to a request that could have jeopardized her career all the while trying to handle this troubled young girl who only longs to belong. The bond between them slowly grows and is challenged when Kay finally locates Sally's father, a landscaper, and employs him for a task in her home without revealing to Sally who he really is. Once she finds out, she runs away with her loser boyfriend where they plan to run off to San Francisco but things don't turn out the way it was planned and Sally finds herself, once again, in a flustered situation. The movie unfolds at a steady pace. It's a nice movie to sit down and watch without having to be disturbed by violence, blood and guts and other action-related, adrenaline-flowing motives of that sort. It's a really good family movie with a good story line and fine acting.

This was actually very good. Didn't get to see the ENTIRE thing, but it was quite a good movie. The actors and actresses were very convincing. The moral of the story is basically believing in angels, and also explains the consequences of wrongful actions. It tells the story of a tough rebel named Sally, who at the beginning of the movie had trouble adjusting to her new foster mother, but as the movie goes along, she begins to understand that her foster mother loves her, and she begins to loosen up. I thought this was quite a good film, I do recommend it. This comes on on the Hallmark channel every now and then, if you have cable.