Five Minutes of Heaven (2009)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Cynthia S

  
  I originally thought that this was going to be just another one of those Northern Ireland in religious turmoil movies....but it wasn't. The concept of this movie dealing with the after effects of the senseless killings that went on is really original. I found this movie very… More
  I originally thought that this was going to be just another one of those Northern Ireland in religious turmoil movies....but it wasn't. The concept of this movie dealing with the after effects of the senseless killings that went on is really original. I found this movie very interesting. Liam Neeson is wonderful in it, as usual, which really was a plus.

• Arash X

  
  Or how to turn an interesting premise into such an insipid film, Five minutes Of heaven is just as shallow & simple-minded as Little's preachy monologue in front of the camera, Vengeance, Guilt, ... nothing is portrayed well here, Little is supposed to be a man who feels some… More
  Or how to turn an interesting premise into such an insipid film, Five minutes Of heaven is just as shallow & simple-minded as Little's preachy monologue in front of the camera, Vengeance, Guilt, ... nothing is portrayed well here, Little is supposed to be a man who feels some sort of guilt but Neeson basically plays a zombie, sometimes you wonder if he actually believes in what he is saying or he is just selling his preachings and Nesbitt on the other hand overacts a bit, Overall the film sometimes exaggerates like the whole thing with the mother blaming everything on the kid and downplays it when it should depict more, And yeah Griffin is suddenly moved by Little's one sentence?, It's a huge disappointment specially for the director of "Downfall" & "the Experiment"

• Lorenzo v

  
  <i>"To face the future, they must face the past."</i> The story of former UVF member Alistair Little. Twenty-five years after Little killed Joe Griffen's brother, the media arrange an auspicious meeting between the two. <center><font size=+2… More
  <i>"To face the future, they must face the past."</i> The story of former UVF member Alistair Little. Twenty-five years after Little killed Joe Griffen's brother, the media arrange an auspicious meeting between the two. <center><font size=+2 face="Century Schoolbook"><b><u>REVIEW</u></b></font></center> Fact based fictional account about the meeting of two men, one who killed the brother of the other as part of the sectarian violence in Northern Ireland. The meeting, arranged by a television network, is suppose to illustrate how people are coming together, however for the two men the event is something else. Where it goes and how it goes is not what you expect, it wasn't what I expected. Liam Neeson and James Nesbitt as the two men are excellent. Neeson as the shooter looking for absolution, but never saying it, is a quiet tower of seeming strength while underneath he's bubbling with uncertainty.Nesbitt is all nervous twitches and ticks. He's very funny in his refusal to deal with the man who he saw killed his brother. He is haunted by the need to take revenge even though he wants never to have to do so. I thought his character and performance were amusing and wrong for a portion of the film until I suddenly understood it was right on target and perfectly done. This is a unique and very real look at how we deal with the wrongs we have done and had done to ourselves. By the time the film had ended I found myself moved several times, probably more so in that the film doesn't punctuate each moment with swelling music or dramatic flourishes. This is a film where the small moments move you, something as simple as a smile makes you weepy. I recommend this film highly. Its not the best film ever made but it neatly gets its point across in such away that you are forced to reflect and perhaps change.

• Josh L

  
  A movie worth the 90 minutes invested, even when the movie starts to get slow towards the end and builds to a conclusion that doesn't satisfy in all regards. The acting is great and we understand the pain both of these characters have gone through since the killing occurred. For… More
  A movie worth the 90 minutes invested, even when the movie starts to get slow towards the end and builds to a conclusion that doesn't satisfy in all regards. The acting is great and we understand the pain both of these characters have gone through since the killing occurred. For those that don't know, the movies about the meeting of 2 individuals, one whom killed the others older brother in Northern Ireland when the Catholics and Ulster Volunteer Force were fighting and riots were everywhere and everyday. The movie takes place 30 years later when they are both grown men (Liam Neeson plays the killer, who was 17 at the time, and James Nesbitt plays the victim, who was 11 at the time). James Nesbitt's character witnessed the whole thing and looked the killer straight in the eyes when it happened. The killer didn't know it was the brother, or he says he probably would have killed him too (this is said by Liam Neeson during a monologue). The mom blames the little kid for not stopping the killer, even though there was nothing he could really do. This is what hurts him the most. They are to meet on a television program and hopefully reconcile in front of everyone. There's a very good build up to this point, and what happens may surprise you a little bit. The movie loses steam a little towards the end when it gets really talky, but it is great until then. The roles are even reversed, with Liam Neeson playing the torn character hoping to be set free of his guilt, while James Nesbitt just wants to kill him for revenge, no matter what it cost him. The movie also does a great job of getting you to sympathize with both characters at once, since they aren't in the same scene together (or room for that matter). It isn't a must see movie, but one I can definitely recommend.

• Randy T

  
  Good Irish drama dealing with the aftermath of war and personal tragedy. The only knock on this one is the ending which seems a little half-hearted and insincere.

• Derek A

  
  An underrated, lesser-known film in 2009, <i>Five Minutes of Heaven</i> is a gritty story of revenge. Twenty-five years after watching his brother get brutally murdered, Joe is forced to meet the man who has traumatized his entire life on, of all places, a TV… More
  An underrated, lesser-known film in 2009, <i>Five Minutes of Heaven</i> is a gritty story of revenge. Twenty-five years after watching his brother get brutally murdered, Joe is forced to meet the man who has traumatized his entire life on, of all places, a TV show.<p>Thematic and brutal, director Oliver Hirschbiegel is unforgiving in crafting the brutal reality of gangs in Ireland in the 1970's. James Nesbitt is outstanding in his portrayal of a man who can't escape the nightmares of his past, and his unsuccessful attempts at coping with the present as he faces the imminent meeting of the man who killed his brother. Liam Neeson is incredible as always as the cold but repentant killer.<p>The theme of this film centers around forgiveness and vengeance, but it also has something to say about reality TV. This film exploits the heartless core of media today, illustrating their thirst for ratings at all costs... even if it means pitting a killer face to face with his victim's brother.<p>My main issue with this film is in the rehashed storyline. The story of vengeance is nothing new, but I would've liked to have seen the director turn this into a witty <i>Frost Nixon</i> sort of confrontation. In a film that was extremely wordy in its dialog, the climatic scenes of importance were reduced to fist punches and uninspiring dialog of self-redemption. I didn't dislike the ending, but I feel the only thing weighing down this well done gem is the very mediocre conclusion. <p> <i>Five Minutes of Heaven</i> is still a very good exploration of repressed guilt and anger with outstanding, Oscar-worthy performances.

• Walter M

  
  In "Five Minutes of Heaven," Alistair Little(Liam Neeson) and Joe Griffen(James Nesbitt) are about to meet for the second time, on this occasion before television cameras. Their first time was in 1975 when Alistair killed Joe's brother in front of him and Alistair… More
  In "Five Minutes of Heaven," Alistair Little(Liam Neeson) and Joe Griffen(James Nesbitt) are about to meet for the second time, on this occasion before television cameras. Their first time was in 1975 when Alistair killed Joe's brother in front of him and Alistair would spend twelve years in jail. Alistair(Mark Davison) was like a lot of other 14-year olds as he liked girls and pop music and was worried about getting zits. But since this was Northern Ireland and he was Protestant, he was also a member of the Ulster Volunteer Force. In the present day, with lots of practice in front of cameras detailing his story, Alistair is relaxed(and better dressed), compared to Joe who is extremely nervous, chain smoking and talking way too much. Although stagy, "Five Minutes of Heaven" is an intelligent and well-acted microcosm of the continuing cost of the conflict in Northern Ireland. Even without the violence and British troops patrolling the streets, certain wounds continue to fester, making reconciliation a tricky business. This does not stop the television crews from looking for as simple a resolution as possible and one they can stage manage.

• Bryce I

  
  Even with the acting that these two incredible actors give, it does not stop reminding us that this is just boring.

• Deb S

  
  "Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that." More than thirty years after he saw his older brother gunned down by a teenage "member" of the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF), Joe Griffin's… More
  "Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that." More than thirty years after he saw his older brother gunned down by a teenage "member" of the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF), Joe Griffin's (James Nesbitt) wounds are still fresh and the memories of that night still vivid. Not only does he have to deal with the loss of his brother but his mom also blames him for not having done anything to save him. The film skips forward to the present day where Joe sincerely doubts his decision to do a one-to-one interview with the killer arranged by a television network to discuss truth and reconciliation. For Alistair Little (Liam Neeson) it is a more familiar process as he has done much public soul-searching since his "rehabilitation" from prison and is desperately seeking absolution. Little does he know that the volatile Joe plans to avenge his brother's death on National T.V. Guy Hibbert has written a beautiful screenplay, allowing the actors to plumb the frightening abyss of pain, rage, revenge, and redemption.

• Naughtia N

  
  Spectacular actors and a spectacular story. But sadly I was very disappointed because I was very bored watching this movie. I had been really looking forward to watching this movie and it didn't really catch my interest once it was running.

• Philip P

  
  I am not as familiar with the conflict from which the drama of this film is based on as I should have been to better understand the reasons things happened the way they did. But the fact is that what happened did happen and the effects it had on both the boy who killed and the boy who… More
  I am not as familiar with the conflict from which the drama of this film is based on as I should have been to better understand the reasons things happened the way they did. But the fact is that what happened did happen and the effects it had on both the boy who killed and the boy who witnessed are extremely interesting and also very tragic. This is quite a simple film really, in terms of what all is going on. The whole drama is wrapped more within the actors and their performances moreso than what is actually being executed through the actions people are taking. Nesson is just fine, as he usually is, though he doesn't have too much to do here. I liked the first part of the film that gave us the actual murder. It was stylistically different than the remainder of the film and I wanted to see more of what happened after instead of actually just hearing about it through dialogue later. Nesbitt makes this film worthwhile though, his ruined man is complext and damaged. He gives us a sense of uneasiness while still garnering our trust and instilling hope

• Alec B

  
  I think because the violence in Northern Ireland has become almost non-existent and is no longer "news worthy", we think that everything is magically alright there and we forget about it. Five Minutes of Heaven explores the deep wounds that still plague an area that had seen… More
  I think because the violence in Northern Ireland has become almost non-existent and is no longer "news worthy", we think that everything is magically alright there and we forget about it. Five Minutes of Heaven explores the deep wounds that still plague an area that had seen horrific violence for many years. Liam Neeson and James Nesbitt are extremely good here and I like how the film doesn't become a sob fest about everyone "getting along" when it easily could have been.

• Nicolas K

  
  an interesting film depicting the emotional turmoil of a killer and the brother of his victim.

• Joshua H

  
  This is the first movie I'm reviewing as a dvd review! Released back in 2009, Liam Neeson and James Nesbitt star in this interesting little film "Five Minutes of Heaven". Set in Ireland starting in the 1970's the film depicts the struggles between Irish-Protestant… More
  This is the first movie I'm reviewing as a dvd review! Released back in 2009, Liam Neeson and James Nesbitt star in this interesting little film "Five Minutes of Heaven". Set in Ireland starting in the 1970's the film depicts the struggles between Irish-Protestant Allistar Little and Catholic Joe Griffin. When Joe is 11 years old, he witnesses Little shoot and murder his 19-year-old brother.. 30 years later a t.v. studio arranges for Griffin to have a televised discussion with his brother's killer, who has since been released from prison and regrets his terrible crime. This film is not a religious movie; its more of a look at society and social conflict. Neeson is great as always playing a man who regrets his past; and Nesbitt does a somewhat superior job as the little brother who never got his revenge. The film's final act is tremendous and unsuspectedly filled me with suspense as I watched these two finally meet. Not your normal movie; the pacing and filming style may ward off some people (you know, the people that like potty humor and explosions in all their movies?) but for the rest of us, this is a great little indie flick. It has no rating, but the MPAA would've definitely given it an "R" rating due to violence (probably the most realistic I've ever seen) and for the language. Oh and if you think Irish accents are funny (I think they're awesome) you better get used to them because this is a film about Irish people. If you got some time, check it out.

• Erin C

  
  This was a little boring, but Nesbitt was very convincing in his role. I do, however, wish they would've touched on the lives of the characters when they were younger a little more.

• matt s

  
  Two words: James Nesbitt. His performance alone is worthy of a viewing. I wasn't completely sold on the Neeson-tinged ending, if it were about 30 seconds short, this would be a really good film. But I liked it just fine. Nice, suspenseful revenge film that's more drama and… More
  Two words: James Nesbitt. His performance alone is worthy of a viewing. I wasn't completely sold on the Neeson-tinged ending, if it were about 30 seconds short, this would be a really good film. But I liked it just fine. Nice, suspenseful revenge film that's more drama and psychological matters than high-octane action. That's OK with me as long as there are good performances, and this film has it.

• John A

  
  <B><U>Television Film</U> <I>BBC2, April 2009 Quick Review</I></B> After some masterfully directed opening scenes of the ordinary warfare in IRA Ireland, 'Five Minutes of Heaven' loses its suspense and becomes too wordy to be truly… More
  <B><U>Television Film</U> <I>BBC2, April 2009 Quick Review</I></B> After some masterfully directed opening scenes of the ordinary warfare in IRA Ireland, 'Five Minutes of Heaven' loses its suspense and becomes too wordy to be truly compelling. Nesbitt and Neeson's performances are, naturally, astounding, and director Hirschbiegel doesn't lose sight of the thematic thrust; guilt, reflection, trust and catharsis all form part of its complex and underlying backbone. Despite this attention to dimension and characterisation that feeling of detachment isn't quite overcome; less restraint and more fire may have ignited deeper passion for a nevertheless interesting picture.

• Daisy M

  
  In 'Five Minutes of Heaven', James Nesbitt plays the younger brother of a man murdered by Liam Neeson, who is from a loyalist group. The centerpiece of the film is the preparation of a face to face meeting, the first, between victim's relative and murderer, staged by a… More
  In 'Five Minutes of Heaven', James Nesbitt plays the younger brother of a man murdered by Liam Neeson, who is from a loyalist group. The centerpiece of the film is the preparation of a face to face meeting, the first, between victim's relative and murderer, staged by a TV channel. Liam Neeson is also very good in the role and is convincing as a man who regrets his past but tries to explain it without justifying it. The drama does not end here but I will. Watch it for yourself, it is an intense, play of terrorism of what happen in Northern Ireland.

Read all 18 featured audience ratings