A stirring film about guilt, love, retribution, and deliverance, directed by Tom Tykwer (Run Lola Run) from the last screenplay by the late Krzysztof Kieslowski (Red, White and Blue), Heaven stars luminous, haunting Cate Blanchett as a beautiful widow being interrogated as a terrorist in Italy after her attempt to blow up the man responsible for her husband's death goes horribly wrong. But in a peculiar twist of destiny, a compassionate young police clerk (Giovanni Ribisi) who finds himself powerfully drawn to her helps Blanchett escape. Sporting a strange, symbolic story arc that is both simple and yet completely unpredictable, the film follows awkward, resourceful (and now haplessly in love) Ribisi as he helps Blanchett, who is still bent on the revenge she failed to achieve with the bomb that made the movie's opening moments so nerve-wracking. Tykwer's assured direction and the exquisitely tranquil cinematography work together to capture the engulfing stillness and unspoken intimacy permeating the principals' relationship, as the film explores the repercussions and psychological aftermath of Blanchett's reckless actions. Recommended. [Note: DVD extras include audio commentary by director Tom Tykwer, five deleted scenes, the six-minute “The Story of Heaven” featurette, and a four-minute “Space Cam Fly-By” segment. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a solid film.] (R. Blackwelder)[Blu-ray Review—May 7, 2013—Echo Bridge, 97 min., R, $14.99—Making its first appearance on Blu-ray, 2002's Heaven features a decent transfer and a DTS-HD 2.0 soundtrack. Extras include a “making-of featurette” (6 min.). Bottom line: a solid Blu-ray debut for a provocative thriller.]
Heaven
Miramax, 104 min., R, VHS: $103.99, DVD: $29.99, June 17 Volume 18, Issue 3
Heaven
Star Ratings
As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
Order From Your Favorite Distributor Today: