Ordinary Magic
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| Ordinary Magic | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Giles Walker |
| Written by | Jefferson Lewis |
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| Produced by | Paul Stephens |
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| Cinematography | Paul Sarossy |
| Edited by | Ralph Brunjes |
| Music by | Mychael Danna |
| Distributed by | Cineplex Odeon Films |
Release dateTemplate:Pluralize from text | Page Template:Plainlist/styles.css has no content.
|
Running time | 103 minutes |
| Template:Pluralize from text | Canada |
| Template:Pluralize from text | English |
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Ordinary Magic is a 1993 Canadian drama film directed by Giles Walker and produced by Paul Stephens.[1] It is based on the 1981 novel Ganesh by Malcolm Bosse.[2] The film is notable for being the feature film debut of actor Ryan Reynolds.[3]
Plot
Raised in India, fifteen-year-old Ganesh (Ryan Reynolds) moves to Paris, Ontario after his father's death.[4] Facing culture shock, he uses Satyagraha (non-violent resistance) to help his aunt (Glenne Headly) stage a hunger strike against a land developer.[5]
Cast
The film features a mix of Canadian and international actors (alongside Sri Lankan actors for the India-set sequences):
- Ryan Reynolds as Jeffrey "Ganesh" Moore
- Glenne Headly as Charlotte Moore Strepski
- Paul Anka as Joey Dean[6]
- David Fox as Warren Moore
- Heath Lamberts as Mayor Walton
- Denawaka Hamine as Vani[7]
- Henry Jayasena as the Priest[8]
Filming locations
The production was filmed in two main locations:
- Canada: Scenes in the town of "Paris" were filmed on location in Paris, Ontario.[9] The town's historic architecture and the Grand River served as the backdrop for the protest sequences.[10][11]
- Sri Lanka: The India sequences were filmed in the Hikkaduwa region of Sri Lanka.[12] (in 2023, Ryan Reynolds stated that Hikkaduwa remains his "favourite movie shooting location of all time."[13][14])
Music
The film's score was composed by Mychael Danna, who utilized Indian classical instruments to reflect the protagonist's background.[15] Danna later won an Academy Award for his work on Life of Pi, another film with significant Indian themes.[16]
Awards
- Brussels International Film Festival: Winner of the Audience Award (1994).[17]
- Genie Awards: Nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay (Jefferson Lewis).[18]
References
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- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Lenti, Paul (November 28, 1993). "Ordinary Magic". Variety. Retrieved February 22, 2026.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."GANESH by Malcolm J. Bosse". Kirkus Reviews. April 1, 1981.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Hikkaduwa is my favourite movie shooting location: Actor Ryan Reynolds". Daily Mirror. March 5, 2023.
- ^ The Globe and Mail, Nov 8, 1993.
- ^ The Canadian Film Encyclopedia, TIFF, 2003, p. 312.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Anka, Paul (2013). My Way: An Autobiography. St. Martin's Press. ISBN 978-0312381042.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Denawaka Hamine: The grand old lady of Sri Lankan cinema". National Film Corporation of Sri Lanka. Retrieved February 22, 2026.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."The versatile Henry Jayasena". The Sunday Times. November 15, 2009.
- ^ Bill Brownstein, "Filming magic on a shoestring". Montreal Gazette, January 15, 1994.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Rybak, Stephanie (1992-10-22). "Hometown Pride: Paris, Ontario's role in Ordinary Magic". The Paris Star. p. 1.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Filmed in Brant: Ordinary Magic (1993)". County of Brant Official Website. Retrieved 2024-05-22.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Ordinary Magic (1993) - Filming Locations". IMDb.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Ryan Reynolds recalls filming in Sri Lanka". The Island. March 6, 2023.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Ryan's Sri Lanka memory". The Morning. March 12, 2023.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Mychael Danna: Ordinary Magic Score". MychaelDanna.com. Retrieved February 22, 2026.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Academy Awards Database: Mychael Danna". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Brussels International Film Festival: 1994 Awards". BIFF.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."The 1994 Genie nominees". Playback. November 7, 1994. Retrieved June 1, 2021.
