Heaven (2002/I)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Tom Tykwer

Writers:

Krzysztof Kieslowski (trilogy "Heaven, Hell and Purgatory") and
Krzysztof Piesiewicz (trilogy "Heaven, Hell and Purgatory") ...

Release Date:

21 February 2002 (Germany)

Genre:

Crime | Romance | Thriller

Tagline:

What Would You Risk For Love?

Plot:

A woman takes the law into her own hands after police ignore her pleas to arrest the man responsible for her husband's death, and finds herself not only under arrest for murder but falling in love with an officer.

Plot Keywords:

Love | Bomb | Police | Death | Justice

Awards:

6 wins & 7 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Mon. July 13	6:00 PM	TMC
Sun. July 19	5:20 PM	TMC

Cast

Cate Blanchett	...	Philippa
Giovanni Ribisi	...	Filippo
Remo Girone	...	Filippo's Father
Stefania Rocca	...	Regina
Alessandro Sperduti	...	Ariel
Mattia Sbragia	...	Major Pini
Stefano Santospago	...	Mr. Vendice
Alberto Di Stasio	...	The Prosecutor
Giovanni Vettorazzo	...	The Inspector
Gianfranco Barra	...	The Lieutenant
Vincent Riotta	...	Chief Guard
Mauro Marino	...	Doctor
Stefania Orsola Garello	...	Vendice's Secretary
Fausto Lombardi	...	Father High Rise
Giorgia Coppa	...	Older Daughter

Also Known As:

Heaven (France) (Germany)

MPAA:

Rated R for a scene of sexuality.

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

Germany | Italy | USA | France | UK

Language:

Italian | English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Malaysia:18SX (uncut version) | Malaysia:U (cut version) | USA:TV-MA (TV rating) | South Korea:15 | Argentina:13 | Australia:MA | Canada:14A | Finland:K-11 | Germany:12 | Netherlands:12 | Norway:15 | Philippines:PG-13 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG (cut) | Sweden:11 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Bottrop, North Rhine - Westphalia, Germany

Company:

Miramax Films

Trivia:

The first of a planned trilogy Krzysztof Kieslowski and Krzysztof Piesiewicz wrote before Kieslowski's death: Heaven, Hell and Purgatory.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The train shown when Filippo and Philippa arrive in Tuscany is not compatible with the passenger car seen from the inside in earlier shots.

Quotes:

Philippa: I don't want to escape punishment. I've killed four innocent people and I want to answer for that, but before I do, I want to kill him.

Movie Connections:

References Vertigo (1958)

Soundtrack:

6 Variationen zur Gesundung von Arinushka

Tom Tykwer's best?

This movies changes gears throughout and draws the audience in. Unlike many American directors, Mr. Tykwer gives us a non-formula film detailing the duplicity of good and evil. The bad/good guy (woman) is a murderer by choice-accident? It requires the audience to think of consequences and actions. Part cautionary tale, chase film, mystery, with love and redemption, the film is emotionally moving and beautifully photographed, especially the ending with the helicopter ascending into the sky (heaven?).

Mr. Tykwer scored a big hit in Germany with his previous "Run, Lola Run". The similarities with Heaven are the main character is female and stacked up against the odds, as with "The Warrior and the Princess" which has a fantastic symbolic ending. Howcome it takes a German male director to portray females as real heroic figures without being typical action-cartoonish representations?