Almost Heaven

Heike Makatsch as Helen Schuster is dying. And if there's any chance for her to fulfill her lifelong dream of becoming a country western singer, it's now that's she's been invited to Nashville. We forgive her inattentiveness in getting on her plane out of Germany, because there's something very winning about this vulnerable woman with her cowgirl hat and barely passable voice. And so it begins, with Helen meeting a Jamaican woman, Nikki Amuka-Bird as Rosie who epitomizes the kind of island attitude you see for real all over the Caribbean.

This is mostly a movie about the relationship of Helen and Rosie though husbands and friends play important roles as well. The two main characters influence each other to higher levels in a believable and entertaining way. I'd see another film with Heike in it on the strength of this performance alone, and I look forward to seeing Nikki as a doctor in the upcoming remake of The Omen as that will be completely on the other end of the spectrum! Heike especially has a wonderful way about her that makes you wish you could be with her.