Bliss

This bizarre comedy from New Zealand garnered numerous Australian awards and has had only limited exposure in the U.S. Neither all it's cracked up to be, nor a film to be completely dismissed, Bliss relates the story of one Harry Joy, ad exec, who, as the film opens, suffers a massive coronary. He dies--but only for four minutes, during which time he experiences both heaven and hell. When he re turns to normal life, the scales have fallen from his eyes, and everywhere he turns he sees corruption: his wife is sleeping with his business partner, his daughter trades sexual favors with his entrepreneurial son for cocaine, his largest accounts are selling products which contain carcinogens. Harry drops out and hooks up with an angelic prostitute named Honey Barbara, who counsels him in the ways of the simple, unadorned life (throughout the film, we hear the constant refrain of: "it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of the needle, etc...). Unfortunately, Harry reverts back to his materialistic lifestyle, losing the love of Honey Barbara, whom he must try to win back. Visually interesting throughout, Bliss hits and misses with its social satire and religious metaphors (though the hits were solid enough to warrant the Catholic church's seal of disapproval). Recommended for appropriate collections.