'Heaven Is For Real'

“Heaven Is For Real” is not a film about God but about belief.

Based on the New York Times best-selling book of the same name, the film tells the story of Colton Burpo (Conner Corum), who claims to have visited heaven during a near-death experience.

While this trip to heaven raises many questions, Conner’s account of precise details and facts before his birth causes even more controversy.

Conner’s experience challenges his father, Todd (Greg Kinnear), and submerges many people into contemplative thinking about the meaning behind his story.

Nothing can be a better eye-opener than a protagonist who saw Jesus. Somehow, Director Randall Wallace failed to transfer this “eye-mazing” story to an amazing silver-screen experience.

The foreshadowing is so verbose it makes the climax reclusive.

So, while Todd is praying for his son, I’m praying for plot twists. Apparently the only person God answers is Todd, otherwise the narrative wouldn’t be this dull by the time Colton wakes up.

It seems Wallace just composed a vanilla narrative about visiting heaven with neither punctuation nor interest.

We can tell Wallace is trying to gild the plot with poignant and sentimental details, but trying counts only for so much.

Truth is, his effort to make the story inflammatory metamorphoses what should be a touching film into a religious pamphlet.

The script may be devoid of thought, but the acting definitely strikes a chord.

Oscar-nominee Kinnear is able to communicate real humanity through his electrifying performance. Strikingly capturing Todd’s contradictions in struggle, Kinnear showcases his ability to ooze warmth and wisdom as a preacher and father, but his hesitation and hovering in dilemma is even more resonating and compelling.

Much of Todd’s turmoil comes from people’s fear of believing.

As the core character, 4-year-old Colton is adorable enough to melt every audience’s heart. Given his age, we believe Corum is acting with sincerity. But we can still predict the blossom of his future career through his successful characterization in this film.
Wallace’s thematic vagueness and grandiose reach are sophomoric. He pinpoints a sore spot.

We all think we should have a better life if heaven is for real. So if it really exists, why can a boy see it while most of us can’t? The answer, Todd Burpo says, is that “Only faith opens our eyes.”