Alberto Di Stasio, Alessandro Sperduti, Cate Blanchett

Philippa, a British teacher living in Turin, Italy, has seen many friends, including her husband, fall victim to drug overdoses. Philippa has repeatedly contacted the police with information about Tur...( read more  read more... )in's biggest drug dealer but, complicit in his dealings, they have completely ignored her. So Philippa decides to dole out her own form of justice -- setting her off on a journey, aided unexpectedly by a young police officer, that moves through retribution and redemption, innocence and crime, and hope and desire as she goes from a young widow to a fugitive on the run.

Flixster Users

78% liked it

7,520 ratings

Critics

73% liked it

86 critics

R, 1 hr. 44 min.

Directed by: Tom Tykwer

Release Date: October 4, 2002

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DVD Release Date: June 17, 2003

Stats: 530 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (530)


  • May 15, 2008
    This Itlian speaking film (with a small amount of English speaking) is a little slow moving, but has a very interesting story. Cate Blanchett of course (as always) is brilliant, pairing with Giovanni Ribisi once again, who also gave a great performance.

    Ironically there is a...( read more) sense of freedom found in them being fugitives and the spark between them (in other circumstances) would probably not have ignited
  • December 5, 2007
    Wanted to like this one more. Starts off great but loses steam along the way. Take your chances this is a definite hit or miss.
  • November 20, 2007
    A curious movie with some interesting credits that it fails to quite live up to. It's not lively enough to be enjoyed as escapist entertainment, but it's too simplistic and far-fetched to resonate on any deeper level. Though there's no great chemistry between the two leads, it st...( read more)ill works best as an offbeat romance. The characters are severely underdeveloped; Stefania Rocca, for one, is completely wasted.
  • August 14, 2007
    Marketing this must have been a nightmare. It's awfully risky to put Cate Blanchett slinging bombs around in the first ten minutes of your movie and follow it up with another eighty of sad, ethereal drama; that's a hell of a tonal mismatch. Those expecting either a riotous thrill...( read more)er or a larger-than-life romance are going to be sorely disappointed.

    Heaven's main function, which it pulls off flawlessly, is as a character piece with an emotional backbone. The pared-down plot acts as a playground for Cate Blanchett and Giovanni Ribisi (who is excellent here, by the way) to emote and react; with two lesser actors, this movie would have been excruciating. It's a testament to Blanchett and Ribisi's abilities that they are able to carry the human angle of this movie so competently. Take the interrogation scene. When Phillipa Paccard begins to cry at some unexpected news, Blanchett's acting is so absurdly good that you find yourself caring for this woman that you've seen in action for about two total minutes. And when Filipo touches her hand...something magic happens, right there, that the entire movie hinges on. It may not work for some people, which is kind of a shame. But it worked for me.

    Heaven is inert as a thriller, but that's not its goal. The poster shown here is maddening because there's one explosion and two helicopters in the entire movie. The movie's priority is to get you to feel what these people feel, and it does it in the wrapping paper of a drug-related thriller. It's just a love story in a strange package and no one seems to understand that. The term "love story" in itself is misleading, because Phillipa is so tormented that it's hard to imagine that she loves Filipo - she really just needs him. There's something distant and transient about their relationship, like the little white things you see floating in the air sometimes.

    When you add that emotional approach to the rich filming and the simple piano score, you have a movie that doesn't stop poking your Swoon button. Heaven is a perfect title for this movie, not only for its quality, but also for its atmosphere.

    Highly recommended, but know what you're getting yourself into.
  • June 29, 2007
    Wonderful camera work.
  • November 15, 2009
    Tykwer a prouvé à maintes reprises qu'il savait tenir en haleine et en ce sens, les premières minutes du film sont magistrales. Seulement, si le film ne s'essouffle pas, il dérive vers une certaine incompréhensions (lors des dernières minutes) alors qu'on se croirait dans un film...( read more) de rédemption plutôt bizarre avec des personnages soudainement transformé en des clones du THX-1138 de Lucas, soit, à mille lieux du suspense psychologique troublant, attaquant directement le monde corrompu, soutenu avec brio par une Cate Blanchett qui n'arrive pas à être mauvaise et d'un solide Giovanni Ribisi à ses côtés.
  • October 14, 2009
    Excellent performances by Giovanni Ribisi and Cate Blanchett.
  • September 12, 2009
    its a nice one..giovanni ribisi is one of the most underated actors..he is so skillfull,,,
  • June 8, 2009
    An extraordinary love story.
  • May 2, 2009
    Fantastic and artsy portrayal of two lovestrucks forced to confront societal issues through unorthodox means. With brilliant performances from the two lead, especially the amazing Cate, this movie is astounding.

Critic Reviews


October 18, 2002
Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times

The story remains so minimal that, ultimately, it just isn't there. full review

October 18, 2002
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

Blanchett's performance confirms her power once again. full review

October 18, 2002
Ty Burr, Boston Globe

Some movies suck you in despite their flaws, and Heaven is one such beast. full review

October 18, 2002
Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail

A beautifully designed, lyrical fable of a movie. full review

October 17, 2002
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer

Heaven is odd, and awkward in places, but its lyricism and power stay with you. full review

October 9, 2002
Stephanie Zacharek, Salon.com

Tykwer is in love with the classic convention of lovers on the lam, but he hasn't worn it out yet. Instead, he consistently renews it. full review

View more Heaven reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

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