Heaven

Name: Heaven
Genre: Drama, Thriller, Romance, Crime
Released: October 4, 2002
Duration: 97 min
Rating: 68
Cast: Cate Blanchett, Giovanni Ribisi

2002

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 31 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 26 Ratings

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7.6

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7.6	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 26 Ratings

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Movie Details & Credits

Miramax Films | Release Date: October 4, 2002 | TV-MA

Starring: Cate Blanchett, Giovanni Ribisi

Summary: A luminous and haunting love story, layered, in the tradition of Kieslowski, over a probing exploration of the modern world and its moral choices. (Miramax)

Director: Tom Tykwer

Genre(s): Drama, Thriller, Romance, Crime

Rating: TV-MA

Runtime: 97 min

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Critic Reviews

Stephen Holden

Here the clinical, stopwatch precision of Mr. Tykwer's explorations of synchronicity and Kieslowski's warmer, metaphysically dreamy speculations about the role of chance and coincidence in human affairs synchronize into a film whose formal elegance is matched by its depth of feeling. Read full review

Joe Morgenstern

Mr. Tykwer's hands the movie changes almost magically from drama to chase to romance. As it does so its moral weight lessens; by the end there is less than what first engaged the mind. What meets the eye, though, is unforgettable.

Kim Morgan

Not just love, but maybe an escape from a wretched world. We're not sure, but that's what makes Heaven so inexplicably, intriguingly soulful, even in its most remote and architectural instances. Read full review

Rene Rodriguez

If Heaven doesn't quite achieve the transcendent power that Kieslowski might have attained, it comes close. One shot in particular, with the couple making love under a tree in silhouette, is a thing of quiet, sublime beauty that is eloquent in a way words never could be. Read full review

J. Hoberman

An art film without the NYFF imprimatur, Heaven is a peculiar amalgam -- a Miramax package (without the hype), directed by German hotshot Tom Tykwer under the eye of Anthony Minghella, from a script with which the late Krzysztof Kieslowski had planned to inaugurate a new trilogy named for the Divine Comedy. Read full review

Scott Tobias

With Heaven, Tykwer completes his self-appointment as Kieslowski's heir apparent, but since he has always been a better filmmaker than a thinker, his ideas drift into the ether. Read full review

Manohla Dargis

Doesn't have the courage of its conceit, only an abundance of bad ideas and worse taste. Read full review

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User Reviews

JohnM.

May 21, 2007

This is a great film about love. Beautifully shot. Wonderfully directed.

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StephenK

Feb 14, 2009

Beautiful film with a visually amazing and poetic surprise ending.

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tonyGreen

Dec 3, 2010

A wonderful film. Highly original plot. Part romance, part thriller. Very beautifully shot. The pacing is just right - so much happens and yet it feels so languid. A real gem

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Spangle

Mar 5, 2016

Wow, Heaven is a fantastic film. Its minimalist plot is still quite captivating and deeply affecting, just as its characters. The plot, though again quite minimal, is still well put together. Cate Blanchett and Giovanni Ribisi are both fantastic in their roles and really would be the starsWow, Heaven is a fantastic film. Its minimalist plot is still quite captivating and deeply affecting, just as its characters. The plot, though again quite minimal, is still well put together. Cate Blanchett and Giovanni Ribisi are both fantastic in their roles and really would be the stars of this film, if not for the work of director Tom Tykwer and cinematographer Frank Griebe. This film is poetic in its imagery and it is because of these two that that is possible. This duo crafted an absolutely perfect looking film and, in particular, the final 15 minutes of this film are absolutely breathtaking in their poetry. Honestly, some of these shots here may some of the best shots I have ever seen and with good reason. This film would not be half the film it is without this perfect cinematography, even with the decent plot and good acting. Overall, Heaven is a fantastically gorgeous film that never really drags and is aided by great acting and great dialogue from writers Krzysztof Kieslowski and Krzysztof Piesiewicz.… Expand

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PatC.

Apr 16, 2007

This morality play is not too long, but could have been shorter, since character development apparently wasn't a concern. Blanchett sells her character so well that it is easy to overlook that the character is dysfunctional and spectacularly dense. But aren't we all? This seems to This morality play is not too long, but could have been shorter, since character development apparently wasn't a concern. Blanchett sells her character so well that it is easy to overlook that the character is dysfunctional and spectacularly dense. But aren't we all? This seems to be the premise of the movie. Her wish for the end to come is the most poignant moment in the movie, but after that it was my wish too. When one's life warps into the abyss, given the chance one will eventually want to come out the other side. In this case the other side remains unfathomable.… Expand

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