A Little Trip to Heaven (2005)

User Rating:

6.1/10   

Director:

Baltasar Kormákur

Writers:

Baltasar Kormákur (writer)
Edward Martin Weinman (co-writer)

Release Date:

26 December 2005 (Iceland)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

There is no such thing as a no fault death.

Plot:

A husband and wife tangle with an investigator over her dead brother's million-dollar insurance policy.

Plot Keywords:

Life Insurance | Car Accident | Fraud | Snow | Bathing

Awards:

4 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Maria Fernandez Ache	...	Mrs. Rodriguez (as Maria Fernandez-Ache)
Kharl Anton Leigh	...	Young Boy Rodriguez
Peter Coyote	...	Frank
Forest Whitaker	...	Abe Holt
Juan Carlos Pardo Pardo	...	Mr. Rodriguez
Damon Younger	...	Long Haired Man
Jeremy Renner	...	Fred
Joanna Scanlan	...	Josie
Iddo Goldberg	...	Russle
Philip Jackson	...	William
Julia Stiles	...	Isold
Alfred Harmsworth	...	Thor
Vladas Bagdonas	...	Coroner
Felix Eyjólfsson	...	Auto Machanic
Margrét Ólafsdóttir	...	Elderly lady in the Park
Birgir Sigurðsson	...	Elderly man in a commercial (as Birgir Sigurdsson)
Signý Kristinsdóttir	...	Young Couple #1
Björn Stefánsson	...	Young Couple #1
Pálmi Kormákur Baltasarsson	...	Child #1
Stormur Jón Kormákur Baltasarsson	...	Child #2
Ingibjörg Stefanía Pálmadóttir	...	Jogger #1
Vernharður Þorleifsson	...	Jogger #2 (as Vernhardur Thorleifsson)
Phyllida Law	...	Head Mistress
Anne Reid	...	Martha
Matyelok Gibbs	...	Tall Lanky
Badam Otgontsetseg	...	OLI Receptionist
Darren A. Foreman	...	Bank Manager (as Darren Forman)
Kristina Lankford	...	Bank Teller
Sheikh Aamir Uz-Zaman	...	Taxi Drivers #1
Carlos Mondragon Galera	...	Taxi Drivers #2
Magnús Ingi Magnússon	...	Workers #1
Sigurbrandur Jakobsson	...	Workers #2
Inga Edith Karlsdóttir	...	Josie's Accountant
Njördur Njardarson	...	Gas Station Attendant
Adalbjörg Adalbjörnsdóttir	...	Extra
Agnar Jónsson Rink	...	Extra
A.J. Cruse	...	Extra
Agnes Braga Bergsdóttir	...	Extra
Alda Blöndal Hjaltadóttir	...	Extra
Alda Gudrún Jónasdóttir	...	Extra
Alexandra Cruse	...	Extra
Alyssa Hill	...	Extra
Amber Vore	...	Extra
Alyssa Vore	...	Extra (as Alyssy Vore)
Amber Kelly	...	Extra
Amy Nix	...	Extra
Alvin Hugi Ragnarsson	...	Extra
Andri Már Thórarinsson	...	Extra
Anjo Balisacan	...	Extra
Angela Stokes	...	Extra (as Angela Claire Stokes)
Anna Sigrídur Árnadóttir	...	Extra
Anna Björg Hardardóttir	...	Extra
Anna Margrét Magnúsdóttir	...	Extra
Anthony Sud	...	Extra
April E. Adkinsson	...	Extra
Aries D. Early	...	Extra
Arna Ösp Gudbrandsdóttir	...	Extra
Arnar Gísli Jensson	...	Extra
Arngrímur Ívarsson	...	Extra
Aselefech Birhanu Ayana	...	Extra
Atli Björn Helgason	...	Extra
Audur Kolbrá Birgisdóttir	...	Extra
Axel Björnsson	...	Extra (as Axel B. Björnsson)
Ármann Gudmundsson	...	Extra
Árni Helgi Helgason	...	Extra
Árni Kristjánsson	...	Extra
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ómar Björn Ragnarsson	...	Extra
Snorri Hergill Kristjánsson	...	Extra (uncredited)
Guðmundur Karl Sigurdórsson	...	Extra (uncredited)
Davíð Þór Þorsteinsson	...	Extra (uncredited)

Directed by
Baltasar Kormákur

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Baltasar Kormákur		writer
Edward Martin Weinman		co-writer

Produced by
Jay Burnley	....	associate producer
Leifur B. Dagfinnsson	....	associate producer
Arni Hansson	....	line producer
Agnes Johansen	....	co-producer
Baltasar Kormákur	....	producer
Lilja Pálmadóttir	....	executive producer
Sigurjon Sighvatsson	....	producer

Original Music by
Mugison

Cinematography by
Óttar Guðnason

Film Editing by
Sigvaldi J. Kárason
Virginia Katz
Richard Pearson

Casting by
Liora Reich

Production Design by
Karl Júlíusson

Art Direction by
Eggert Ketilsson

Set Decoration by
Kristrun Eyjolfsdottir
Atli Geir Grétarsson
Rebekka A. Ingimundardóttir
Harrý Jóhannsson
Halfdan Pedersen

Costume Design by
Helga I. Stefánsdóttir

Makeup Department
Ragna Fossberg	....	hair stylist
Ragna Fossberg	....	makeup artist
Stefan Jorgen	....	special makeup effects artist

Production Management
Rannveig Jónsdóttir	....	unit production manager
Leslie Rodier	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Leifur B. Dagfinnsson	....	first assistant director
Aryn Guiney	....	second assistant director
Silja Hauksdóttir	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Jakob Fenger	....	carpenter
Atli Geir Grétarsson	....	property master
Sveinn Hjartasson	....	props
Karl Júlíusson	....	set designer
Daniel Newton	....	props
Colin Paul	....	sets and prop buyer
Baltasar Samper	....	storyboard artist

Sound Department
Mark DeSimone	....	adr mixer: New York
Dimitra Drakopoulou	....	dialogue editor
Kjartan Kjartansson	....	sound designer
Nicolas Liebing	....	sound effects editor
Ingvar Lundberg	....	sound re-recording mixer
Björn Viktorsson	....	dialog editor

Special Effects by
Baltasar Breki Baltasarsson	....	special effects
Stefan Jorgen	....	rubber iron effects
Gunnar Pálsson	....	special effects supervisor
Johannes Sverrisson	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Brian Hanable	....	digital effects compositor: Pacific Title
Antonio Torres	....	digital artist: Digital Intermediate, Pacific Title (uncredited)

Stunts
Aris Comninos	....	stunt double
Steve Griffin	....	stunt supervisor
Rob Hunt	....	stunt performer
Charles Jarman	....	stunt double: Forest Whitaker
Valdimar Jóhannsson	....	stunt driver
Adam Kirley	....	stunt driver
Kim McGarrity	....	stunt double

Camera and Electrical Department
Matt Bardocz	....	best boy electric
Elli Cassata	....	camera operator: "c" camera
Elli Cassata	....	focus puller: "b" camera
Arnar Einarsson	....	best boy grip
Pétur Örn Eyjólfsson	....	camera loader
Arni Filippusson	....	clapper loader
Steingrimur G.H.	....	electrician trainee (as Eysteinn Gudni Gudnason)
Finnur Thor Gudjonsson	....	additional electrician
Styrmir Haflidason	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Omar Jabali	....	second assistant camera
Paul McIlvaine	....	gaffer
Nicolas Restrepo	....	first assistant camera
Víðir Sigurðsson	....	camera operator: second unit
Sigurgeir Thordarsson	....	key grip (as Sigurgeir Thordarson)

Casting Department
Harpa Elisa Thorsdóttir	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Bergthóra Magnúsdóttir	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Corinne Bogdanowicz	....	assistant colorist
Paul Bronkar	....	supervising digital intermediate colorist
Lizzy Calhoun	....	assistant editor
George Chavez	....	color timer
Doug Delaney	....	digital intermediate colorist
Steve Farman	....	negative cutter
Kacie Haggerty	....	digital intermediate producer
Sigvaldi J. Kárason	....	additional editor
Ladd Lanford	....	digital intermediate executive
Sean Thompson	....	first assistant editor
Amy Tompkins	....	digital intermediate editor
Byron Wong	....	assistant editor

Other crew
Orn Alexander Amundasson	....	runner
Sigurbjörn Búi Baldvinsson	....	production assistant
Greg Bernstein	....	legal services
Ásta Briem	....	production coordinator
Aditya Ezhuthachan	....	production coordinator: Los Angeles
Aslaug Konradsdottir	....	script supervisor
Kristina Lankford	....	dialect coach
Davíd Óskar Ólafsson	....	office production assistant

Production Companies

• Blueeyes Productions
• Pink Productions
• Palomar Pictures

Distributors

• First Look International (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• A-Film Distribution (2006) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Eurocine Films (2006) (Spain) (theatrical)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (200?) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Imagem Filmes (2006) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Kurt Media (2007) (Germany) (DVD)
• Sandrew Metronome Distribution (2006) (Finland) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Iceland's Ministry of Industry and Commerce  funding
• Icelandic Film Center  funding (as Icelandic Film Fund)
• Katapult Film Sales  world sales
• Kaupthing Bank  funding
• Nordisk Film- & TV-Fond  funding (as Nordic Film and TV-Fund)
• Pegasus Pictures  camera equipment provided by
• Pegasus Pictures  grip and lighting equipment
• Pegasus Pictures  lighting

MPAA:

Rated R for language, some violence and disturbing images.

Runtime:

90 min (25 fps) | Canada:98 min (Toronto International Film Festival)

Country:

Iceland | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:14 | Netherlands:12 | Iceland:16 (video rating) | Finland:K-15 | Norway:15 | USA:R | Australia:M | Argentina:13 | UK:15 (2007) | Singapore:NC-16 | Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Hastings, Minnesota, USA

Company:

Blueeyes Productions

Filmed In Iceland, This Is Intriguing, But Ending Hurts It

This was an intriguing, although not satisfying,, movie and one I still felt was worth my few bucks I paid to rent it.

It was filmed in Iceland - one of the few films I've heard of with that locale - but the story in the film takes place somewhere in Midwestern America. I knew that going in, so it made it kind of strange to view, in that respect. However, the story seemed very realistic. In parts, it almost felt like a documentary, it was so real and atmospheric.

However, as much as I enjoyed the movie, and particularly Forest Whitaker with his odd accent, the ending was a big disappointment. The film had so much promise up until then.

Some people say this film had the feel of a Coen Brothers movie, and I agree with that. To some, this might also have been a bit slow or boring but I thought it had unique atmosphere to it. With a more satisfying ending, I would have bought the DVD and watched it several more times.