SYNOPSIS
Though Diane Keaton appeared in over 60 movies and produced nearly a dozen, for her debut as a feature film director, the iconic actress, long preoccupied with the afterlife, chose to investigate what people really think about the great beyond. HEAVEN, the result of her inquiry, is a free-wheeling and off-beat pastiche of interviews, clips from films such as Metropolis, Green Pastures and Stairway to Heaven and songs that explore different ideas of what paradise may have to offer. With a varied group of interviewees — a collection of fundamentalists, visionaries and people-next-door featuring — among others, her parents and sister, boxing promoter Don King, Victoria Sellers and Swami Prem Amitabh, she queries “What kind of rewards do you think heaven holds?”, “What does God look like?” and “Is there sex in heaven?”. The answers are honest and often outrageous resulting in an unforgettable film that could be characterized as Norman Rockwell meets Salvador Dali.
It seems that heaven is one of the few subjects on which simply everyone has an opinion, and Keaton’s film, featuring a score from Oscar, Golden Globe and Grammy-winning composer Howard Shore and a soundtrack featuring songs by Lionel Richie, The Residents, The Dream Academy, Sam Cooke and more, is a study that is at once both affectionate and ironic, revealing how religion, Hollywood and songs have reflected and influenced man’s view of the hereafter.
What We Thought:
After watching Heaven I had to research it to make sure it was from the famous actress Diane Keaton and not someone else who happened to have the same name. It didn’t feel like something she would have made, but it turns it was her. It’s from the 1980s and is a documentary about what people think Heaven is and if it’s real.
Now I’m not a religious person so the movie did nothing for me in that aspect. It’s a documentary with average people to celebrities cut together with songs and clips from old movies. I’m not sure what it’s going for to be honest. Nothing anyone says proves anything despite how they feel. Am I supposed to feel uplifted by it? Am I supposed to be a believer now? Maybe if you’re a believer you’ll nod along with everything.
I didn’t quite get the style of it either. One minute there’s a question that people are answering however they like, then there’s a clip of a movie or something not documentary style. Is it supposed to hold your attention? It didn’t for me. I’m just glad it was relatively short.
I’m sure Diane Keaton fans have wanted Heaven for their collections and I’m happy it’s there for them. It’s not something I’d ever have a need to see again. I asked an older film critic friend of mine if he was familiar with it because it’s from Diane Keaton and he didn’t know it either. If you’re a religious person maybe you’ll get something out of it, but I sat there puzzled at what it was I was watching unfortunately.
The Nerds Templar 