Heaven Is for Real

Much more interesting than the film -- as a film -- is how cynical we have become as moviegoers. I'm as guilty as everyone else. But the film is so slowly paced (as Don Rickles likes to remark, "as exciting as a fly crawling up a drape") the mind wanders. It can't help it. But if there is nothing on screen to mesmerize it, it wanders. And the first place the mind wanders, while watching HEAVEN IS FOR REAL, is to a very cynical place (definitely NOT heaven) where it starts to wonder how such an unspectacular production merited such a big-name cast and director ... and such lavish cinematography .. and such a major studio...?

And as the mind continues to wander (because what is on-screen is still not that mesmerizing) it goes to an even darker place (yep, still not Heaven) and wonders if the real money and clout behind the production was the religious right ... and if the audience was intended to be the same market...?

Folks I don't have the answers. I can't tell you if the writer of the story really went to heaven or if the producers of this film had an agenda. I can tell you that, if you really really really lower your expectations, and allow for the slower pace, it's not bad. Not great, but not bad. There is a scene where the sister of the main character punches out two boys in the playground for poking fun at her brother. It is short and fast and by itself worth the price of admission.

Not heaven. But not bad either.

Heaven Is for Real (1:39, PG) — borderline, 3rd string, original

You might be surprised that this film attracted an atheist activist like me. But I went to see it because — as part of my self-imposed obligation to catch EVERY science-fiction and fantasy movie that hits town so I can review them for my listserv and at SF cons — it looked like it might have some fantasy elements. I ended up classifying it as "borderline", which is where I put movies that are not clearly SF or fantasy but might be if viewed from a certain angle. This one leaves it open to interpretation whether little 4-year-old Colton Burpo actually experienced a trip to heaven while he was unconscious on the operating table at death's doorstep with a burst appendix.

The Burpos are presented as being among the nicest people you could ever hope to meet, and not in any "holier than thou" sense but as solid, down-to-Earth working folk, a kind, loving, and happy family. The dad, Todd Burpo, a part-time Protestant minister in Imperial, Kansas, is humble and declines the title "Reverend", saying "Call me Todd" even to members of his own congregation. He wears a work shirt and sits in the pews with the other congregants while the church service is doing other things, like Bible readings or singing led by Todd's wife Sonja.

The skeptical attitude is clearly articulated by several different characters in the film, including Todd Burpo himself, who's obviously having trouble wrestling with and reacting to what his son has been saying about his brief sojourn in heaven. And the conclusion is not some grand revelation or depiction of the "real" heaven but rather an informal sermon in which Todd (well played by Greg Kinnear) talks thru his uncertainties and tells his fellow congregants that "on Earth as it is in heaven" means that we should each value the little bit of heaven we share when we appreciate the people who love us.

Frankly, an avowed humanist couldn't have put it much better.

Still, there's the obvious fact that little Colton has been drenched in religion for almost his entire waking life, and that such total immersion surely accounts for everything he claims to have seen. And the Burpos had been having serious financial difficulties, a not-so-subtle motive for playing Colton's story for any financial benefit it might bring. Nor does the film stint from dramatizing those perfectly naturalistic explanations.

In short, if you were expecting a piece of pious propaganda, this isn't it. It's more like a nice, non-saccharine family drama with unusual subject matter, kind of along the lines of We Bought a Zoo. On my 9-point scale, it rates a 6.

This was a powerful and emotional movie. It's sad that so many hate-filled, lost and hopeless individuals left reviews simply because they are angry at life and are hollow and empty inside. The message of this movie would do them good. God is Hope and there is something beyond this life. So, quit being depressed and angry at the world and look at the bigger picture and accept God's love. Look into it it's everything...

I'm very spiritual but not very religious. This movie does an excellent job of sharing important information about the very real issues that near death experiences (NDEs) bring up. All the NDE stories have certain similarities and a judgmental God is not part of them at all. Religion doesn't matter either. All that matters is love for one another. IMO.

Those last few sentences were preacher than this whole movie -- which is a very good thing. It is very tough to tell a spiritual story without being preachy, but this movie does it very well.

If you have the slightest interest, you will enjoy this movie. Is it perfect? No, nothing is, but this movie is pretty good.

8 out of 10 stars. Acting is good too. Kudos to all involved in the production.

Epilogue: There's an odd phenomena happening with any movie that is religious or potentially religious, like this film. They get a lot of 1-star ratings. I'm certain these come from zealots. Mostly, I suspect they are militant atheists who think belief in God is the root of all of mankind's problems. I'm talking about the disciples of Richard Dawkins here. I'll bet serious money that most of the 1-star reviewers never saw the movie.

With a movie like this one there is another potential source of 1-star reviews, fundamentalists who like their religious ideas literal and straight from the bible. Those folks will not like this movie at all. Real spirituality is complicated.

I saw this movie on opening night and there were only four of us in the theater (which was just fine with me). I will start by saying that I am a Christian, was excited to see this movie, and really like Greg Kinnear. Although I liked the story, I was not impressed with the movie overall. The acting was not great, and it was somewhat slow. Again, I like the story they were trying to tell, it just did not grip me nor did any of the characters pull me in. It does make one think about death and heaven and what happens when we leave this earth. I thought it was a very interesting story and am glad it made it to the big screen, but I also think they could have taken this so much further than they did. Please see for yourself though, do not let this review make you hesitate to watch on the big screen or rental at home when it comes out.