By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 5 cats
Director: Oliver Hirschbiegel
Starring: Anamaria Marinca | James Nesbitt | Liam Neeson
Country: ireland, united_kingdom
Year: 2009
Running time: 89
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1238291/reference
Toni says: “First, I really think it is a shame that FIVE MINUTES OF HEAVEN was not distributed better in the United States. Considering, it was directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel of DOWNFALL fame and was written by Guy Hibbert, an unknown here but a bit more successful in Ireland in award winning television dramas.
“It stars that the core James Nesbitt (BLOODY SUNDAY) and Liam Neeson (well you know who he is :-)) along with a great supporting role from Anamaria Marinca (4 MONTHS, 3 WEEKS, 2 DAYS) as the neutral person that the two men confide in. The initial story is based on the reality of Joe Griffin (Nesbitt) and Alistair Little (Neeson) that met in a very unusual circumstance. Griffin at aged 11 witnessed his brother being shot in front of his mother by Little at aged 17 as part of a plan from Ulster Volunteer Force which part of the ongoing battle at the time in the 1970s and 1980s between the Irish and the British. Griffin to this day has had to carry the burden of being to blamed by his own mother that he did not protect his older brother at the scene of the crime.
“FIVE MINUTES OF HEAVEN takes this premise and adds what would happen if present day ‘intelligent’ BBC reality television wanted to bring the two men together to finally make amends. In reality, Griffin refuses to ever meet Little. However, the film captures his pain and emotions of both men in the process of being brought together to meet extremely well. It is not merely the words but the facial expressions of the two men (similar in a way of the effect A SINGLE MAN had on me) that bring you to their worlds.
“Along the way, each has confided in the bystander, Vika (Anamaria Marinca) as she does her research for the show they are both featured on. FIVE MINUTES OF HEAVEN shows the occasionally good and exploitative side of what happens when television attempts to make ratings and attempts to save humanity. It also touches upon the stages of forgiveness and long term guilt of adults, creating a sharp well edited and shot film that is both gripping and emotional.
“Again, I wish more people were able to see FIVE MINUTES OF HEAVEN in an actual cinema. I was finally able to see it months ago via my DVD projector setup at home. You can now too since it is available DVD and on Netflix. 5 Big, Furry Cats – Best of 2009“