Aylmer to Zazzoo and Beyond: Heaven Is For Real

Friday, April 18, 2014

Heaven Is For Real - Review

Heaven Is For Real
(2014 - April 16)
Drama
1 hr. 40 min.
Rated: PG | Thematic material including some medical situations and brief mild language

Grade: B

Director: Randall Wallace
Writers: Todd Burpo (book), Chris Parker (screenplay), 2 more credits
Stars: Greg Kinnear, Connor Corum, Kelly Reilly, Thomas Haden Church | See full cast and crew

Based on the #1 New York Times best-selling book of the same name, HEAVEN IS FOR REAL brings to the screen the true story of a small-town father who must find the courage and conviction to share his son's extraordinary, life-changing experience with the world. The film stars Academy Award® nominee and Emmy® award winning actor Greg Kinnear as Todd Burpo and co-stars Kelly Reilly as Sonja Burpo, the real-life couple whose son Colton (newcomer Connor Corum) claims to have visited Heaven during a near death experience. Colton recounts the details of his amazing journey with childlike innocence and speaks matter-of-factly about things that happened before his birth ... things he couldn't possibly know. Todd and his family are then challenged to examine the meaning from this remarkable event. Written by Sony Pictures Publicity

Heaven Is For Real, is it a movie just for devout Christians? No, I don't think so. It should have appeal to a wider audience. It's a folksy tale of Midwestern Americana values, set in rustic Nebraska.

The cinematography by Dean Semler (Dances with Wolves (1990), Apocalypto (2006) and Bruce Almighty (2003)) is up to his usual standards, it could make one homesick for those peaceful prairies even if you never lived there (and despite the fact that it was filmed in the Canadian prairies of Alberta).

This is a good family friendly film, not a classic but quite serviceable. The casting choice of Greg Kinnear as Todd Burpo was pivotal to the success of this film. Kinnear has an uncanny talent for portraying a likeable everyman and does so in spite of a fairly pedestrian screenplay based on a phenomenally successful #1 best seller, "Heaven is for Real: A Little Boy's Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back".

Kinnear has great support from an able and veteran cast including Margo Martindale, Thomas Haden Church, Kelly Reilly and six year old newcomer Connor Corum, who in his first screen role, is credible and adorable as the four year old preacher's son Colton Burpo. This little boy is quite remarkable.

Kelly Reilly is adequate as Sonja Burpo, so is Thomas Haden Church as Jay Wilkins, but I would have liked to see more depth in the character development, all of the characters, especially young Colton.

One example of the shallow script is when Reverend Burpo, 'Call me Todd', reveals his son's trip to heaven to his congregation, many are skeptical and uncomfortable with the revelations. This even results in some of them questioning their faith and/or calling for the firing of the reverend. This subject is glossed over and resolved so quickly, it would have made for a more intriguing story had it been delved into a little deeper.

Heaven Is For Real does not employ heavy handed preaching but more of a matter of fact delivery which, of course, non-believers will still probably find unscientific...dumb...simplistic...unconvincing, but it will touch home with those who believe.

Are there moments of corniness, yes, sure but you can find those in the best of films, in fact, sometimes that's part of their charm. In Heaven Is For Real humor helps with the film's pacing and to move the story along. I am not among the 10 million plus who have read the book but now that I have seen the film I wouldn't mind reading it now. It would be interesting to dig a little deeper into this story. In the end, however, I was a little underwhelmed. I wanted a little more out of this film but it does deliver a good message and it provides an enjoyable visit to your local cinema whether you go alone or with the whole family. So go ahead, take the kids if you got 'em.

Watch at least the first six minuets of this interview with Colton, Todd and Sonja Burpo. It is from a '700 Club' broadcast. I think you will enjoy the movie a little more having seen the real people telling their own story in their own words.

The film includes a reference of 8 year old Akiane who had a vision of Jesus at the age of 4 and began to paint portraits of Him. She has never had any art lessons she says God was her teacher. She speaks four languages and writes poetry.Below is some of her work. When show her painting 'Prince of Peace', Colton Burpo said, 'That's Him, that's the Jesus I saw.