THE PRIZE WINNER OF DEFIANCE, OHIO

This is a deeply uplifting true story about Christian love practiced under exhausting pressure. Evelyn Ryan supports her 10 children, prays with them, finds joy in adversity, and responds to her husband’s anger with patience, kindness, forgiveness, and grace.

The film does not mention Jesus Christ reverently, but it takes prayer and church seriously. Its biggest weakness is Kelly’s foul language, especially during his temper tantrums. That concern matters, but the movie’s moral center is strong, and its example of faithfulness can leave you wanting to become a better person.

If your family includes middle schoolers or older teenagers who can handle the language, this is worth seeing; parents should use discernment with younger children.

Evelyn Ryan is a housewife and mother of 10 children in 1950s Ohio. Her husband, Kelly, sees his singing career cut short by an accident and struggles with anger, alcoholism, and financial hardship.

Evelyn discovers a gift for writing advertising jingles, entering television contests that attract more than a million competitors. As she works to support her family and placate her husband, the story follows the faith, patience, and joy she brings to a difficult home.

Four stars means this is an uplifting, emotionally powerful film with only a significant content drawback. The audience laughs, cries, and empathizes with Evelyn. Julianne Moore does a great job portraying a woman who embodies love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Woody Harrelson does a tremendous job as Kelly. His powerful temper tantrums reveal both his anger and his struggle to love his family. The film’s unusual construction, with Evelyn speaking directly to the audience to explain the story’s context, sometimes works well but can also distance viewers. Even so, it comes very close to being a four-star movie.

The film presents a strong Christian worldview through Evelyn’s life. It emphasizes God’s love, prayer, church, forgiveness, marriage, family, patience, and finding good in suffering. Evelyn encourages her children to pray and teaches them to forgive their father and see the good in difficult situations.

The movie does not acknowledge Jesus Christ overtly or reverently. Its priest is a weak character, while Evelyn serves as the story’s real spiritual minister. The film also rebukes fiscal irresponsibility and male chauvinism while commending patience and love.

At the center is a woman who manifests God’s grace in ordinary family life. The film’s vision of spiritual maturity aligns closely with Scripture’s description of the fruit of the Spirit: “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Galatians 5:22–23).

This is a very uplifting story of a woman whose patience, faithfulness, and love become the film’s spiritual core. The language requires discernment, but the example of grace is worth receiving. For middle schoolers and up, WORTH THE TRIP — MIDDLE SCHOOL AND UP. For younger children, consider.