In the movie, Sam Childers is played by the Scottish actor Gerard Butler, known for his roles in “Phantom of the Opera”, “300” and “Law Abiding Citizen”. Butler’s portrayal of the gun toting preacher seems natural to him, looking as muscled as he did in “300” but with a few more gang tattoos from his “wild” days.
Childers’ wife, played by “The Heartbreak Kid” and “Eagle Eye” star, Michelle Monaghan has to suffer through first his unruly ways and then his complete dedication to the kids of his orphanage. Monaghan’s performance is mediocre, not as completely dedicated to the role as Butler is. She is unable to completely get into the role of the wife, and some of her scenes just seem bland and forced.