The Five People You Meet in Heaven (2004 TV Movie) User Reviews (88)

Reminds us of what is really important in life

[howard.schumann · 8/10 · 16 May 2005]

If you enjoyed Mitch Albom's Tuesdays With Morrie, you will be pleased that his latest work, The Five People You Meet in Heaven, does not suffer in comparison. A made-for-TV movie, released this February on DVD, Five People is about how each person we meet, though appearing insignificant, are part of the vast web of interconnection that affects our life. Jon Voight plays Eddie, an 83-year old mechanic who has worked at the Ruby Pier Amusement Park all his life except for a stint in the army during World War II. The first thing we learn about Eddie is that he is dead, killed in a roller coaster accident while trying to save a little girl.

The next thing we find out is that, in heaven, Eddie will meet and talk with five people who were the most influential in his life, people Eddie would probably not think of first, but whose influence becomes slowly and painstakingly revealed. As he re-experiences traumatic events from the past, it soon becomes clear that what they share with him allows him to complete and illuminate the past. Eddie meets "The Blue Man" (Jeff Daniels), part of the sideshow at the park, his Army captain (Michael Imperioli), his wife Marguerite (Dagmara Dominczyk) who died after only a few years of marriage, the wife of the original owner of the Ruby Pier (Ellen Burstyn), and a little Filipino girl named Tala (Nicaela and Shelbie Weigel).

Each shows him how he impacted their life or they his--and not always for the better. (In these flashbacks, Callahan Brebner and Steven Grayhm play the young Eddie.). As Eddie's wartime experiences are dramatized as well as his romance and courtship with Marguerite, we learn a great deal about Eddie including the unfulfilled dreams of his youth and his subsequent disillusionment. Like Sidney Lumet's 1982 film Daniel, Kramer uses color to distinguish between past and present: black and white for the past, blue for the present, and orange for heaven. The film allows us to realize that life is not a series of random events without meaning or purpose, but that everything happens for a reason and that it is important to communicate with those we may have hurt, forgive others, and refrain from superficial and wrong-headed judgments.

The Five People You Meet in Heaven is not for those who enjoy layers of complexity in their films or those looking for stylistic innovation. It is a simple story, imaginatively told and the acting and the direction far exceed what we have come to identify with TV movies of the week. The only real drawback is the sound quality that ranges from inaudible to overly loud. Some of the sentiment may be a little saccharine at times, but it is earned and there is no attempt to create emotion where none exists. I found The Five People You Meet in Heaven to be a thoroughly enjoyable experience that, like Dickens Christmas Carol, reminds us of what is really important in life.

This was a good movie...

[sruck · 8/10 · 18 January 2005]

I thought this was an entertaining movie. It was a Hallmark movie, so it may not have you depply contemplating each scene, but it was essentially something you can feel comfortable watching with the family, being about worth a PG rating.

I felt it was worth my time to watch it and I enjoyed it and I highly recommend it to those who want to take a step away from movies revolving around excessive violence and poorly created stories. The acting was done well enough, it succeeds in being a tear-jerker at times (at least for my girlfriend). I actually picked up the book after watching the movie, I'm hoping it's as good or better.

All Endings Are Also Beginning

[claudio_carvalho · 7/10 · 24 September 2008]

Eddie (John Voight) is the responsible for the maintenance of the Ruby Pier amusement park and a veteran of World War II. While trying to save a five year old girl from an accident with ride that is falling after rupturing the wire, Eddie dies. He awakes in Heaven, and the Blue Man (Jeff Daniels) explains him that he will have a journey meeting five people in their heavens that will show the importance of his life before he goes to the next level.

"The Five People You Meet in Heaven" was a great surprise for me, with a beautiful and heartwarming message of the importance of an individual's life, following the idea of Frank Capra's masterpiece "It's a Wonderful Life", when George Bailey finds the importance of his life for the dwellers of Bedford Falls. The only problem with this contemporary movie is the too long running time, developing the story in an excessive low-pace; it could be shorter and developed in a more adequate pace. But anyway I encourage my family and friends to watch this touching movie. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "As Cinco Pessoas Que Você Encontra no Céu" ("The Five People You Meet in Heaven")

Attention Grabbing!

[BLK55 · 11 December 2004]

I really enjoyed this movie - enough to want to see it again and/or purchase the DVD if it comes out.

My husband had read the book beforehand, but I had not. I thought it was riveting. In trying to explain the ending to my husband, I was so "into" it that I just couldn't help but cry while trying to talk. I was there emotionally, in the movie.

To me, a good movie or book is one that grips you, holds your attention. This movie did just that. I don't know that heaven will be this way or not.

My Bible doesn't say that it will be, but we all have our opinions of what we think Heaven will be like. It was a beautiful story, and said, in a nutshell, that no life is worthless. We all touch and affect people every day, sometimes in ways that we will never know in this life.

I think it's definitely a movie worth seeing!

Scripture As Film

[fwomp · 6/10 · 7 October 2008]

If you've read Tuesdays With Morrie by Mitch Albom, then you know the author's got a way with wrenching your emotions. I've never teared up as much as when I'd read that book; the story of a student and his old teacher who was dying of a horribly debilitating disease. But it also had a fairly high schmaltz factor. THE FIVE PEOPLE YOU MEET IN HEAVEN also has that sappiness running through it, but with a serious religious bent to boot (not surprising considering the title).

The story is that of Eddie (Jon Voight, NATIONAL TREASURE: BOOK OF SECRETS) and his life as a repairman at an entertainment park. Many things have happened at this unique place. It's where Eddie's father worked day in and day out all of his life. It's where Eddie fell in love with his future wife Marguerite (Dagmar Dominczyk, 24 TV Series). It's the place where Eddie would leave in order to fight and become injured in WW II. And it's where Eddie would eventually die while trying to save the life of a child.

The story takes place immediately after Eddie's death, and we get to see five flashbacks via five people that Eddie thought he never knew. The first is Blue Man (Jeff Daniels, THE LOOKOUT) who was a sideshow freak at the carnival. Little did Eddie know he'd touched Blue Man in a very special way, but also may have been partially responsible for his death.

The second is Captain (Michael Imperioli, SHARK TALE) who was his commanding officer during WW II. Both having been captured and tortured during the war, they also broke themselves free and torched their prison before departing. It was also during this time that Eddie was wounded in the knee, making him unable to walk normally for the rest of his life. But who shot him? And were there any people in those prison huts they burned down? The third person is Eddie's own Marguerite. Having not seen his wife since her death many years before, Eddie comes to understand just how much he loved her ...but also how much he'd held back due to his own past during the war.

The fourth is someone he'd never met in life but had worked for during most of his time on Earth, Ruby (Ellen Burstyn, THE FOUNTAIN), for whom the park was named where Eddie worked. The destruction and rebuilding of Ruby's Pier (the name of the entertainment park) is an analogy for the same thing Eddie must do in order to salvage himself from the destructive behavior toward his abusive father.

The fifth and final person is someone, again, Eddie had never met but who's life he touched in a very significant way. Telling you who and how this happened would be a huge spoiler, so I'll just say that, in true scripture fashion, Eddie is able to "wash away" his sins and become someone worthy of heavenly entry.

The biggest challenge for some viewers will be trying to separate the acting/scenes with the religious themes being rammed down their throats. But if you're able to separate them, you might enjoy it on some levels. Although morally it's a tale of one man's eventual redemption in the afterlife, it also has some pretty good acting and interesting sets for a made-for-TV Hallmark presentation.

A message to those who are "true believers": please try not to thump your bibles too loudly.

The best adaptation of a novel I've ever seen.

[bbSouthstreet · 9/10 · 9 August 2005]

On my summer reading book list one of the choices was Mitch Albom's The Five People You Meet In Heaven. The story sounded interesting and there was a lot of fuss about it, so out of curiosity I decided to read the book and see for myself. The book was a stunning and fascinating piece of drama I have ever read and will always remain one of my favorite books. After finishing the book and hearing there was a movie version of it on DVD I just had to rent it. In all my life, I had never seen a movie more loyal to the book. The dialog was straight from the book, no ab libbing that was close to the story. The description was better than I pictured the images in the book. But the best part was the actors in the movie. I would have never imagined Jon Voight as Eddie Maintenance, that was a smart move. Another part that I would suggest to the people reading this review is the lesson learned in this film. Maybe your life means nothing to you, but you'd be surprised what your life means to others.

Very good

[jewelch · 7/10 · 8 June 2021]

One of the better movies I've ever seen. The textures, the dichotomy, the humanity, the emotions. Jon Voight is AMAZING in it as well as the entire suburb ensemble. It was inspiring Enjoyable. Memorable. There's just a lot of heart in this movie. James Welch Henderson Arkansas 6/5/21.

Heartwarming and tear-jerking all at the same time!

[elixntric · 10/10 · 17 December 2004]

I watched this movie and thought it was such a wonderful story. It really goes through all the parts of his life and who he touched (whether he knew it or not). I would love to think that we will all have that kind of resolution when our time on Earth is done. This movie will definitely make you cry! I lost my mother when I was younger and this movie made me understand what my father went through at this time. It also gave me an idea of what it was like to fight in a war and have to live with what happened there for the rest of your life. I would absolutely recommend this movie to everyone. For all of us that think death is such an awful thing and are sad to think of those we would leave behind, it was a great way to look at what could happen after our life is over. It also gives hope that those we have lost are still watching over us.

Wonderful ...A keeper for sure.....

[hoya1960 · 10/10 · 8 December 2004]

Its the type of movie I wished I had taped and then could delete all the commericals but then again I got to see it for free.

I plan to buy the book and DVD and then once or twice a year sit down and watch it again. Its a classic keeper.

I guess I could go on and find 285 things wrong with the TV movie but I won't and in all fairness, it was worth every minute of the three hours it was on, and I wouldn't change one frame.

Voight was at his usual best, along with Ellen Burstyn and Michael Imperioli. Scenery was excellent and well done and the period costumes were great. I look forward to reading the book.

Steven Grayhm who played young Eddie was superb also.

This movie proves that television can produce a superior product when it wants to. It just doesn't seem to want to anymore, so that make this movie one to remember for a long, long time.

This movie proves that television can produce a superior product when it wants to. It just doens't seem to want to anymore, so that make this movie one to remember for a long, long time.

All lives are connected, and all vocations are precious in God's eyes.

[dwperdue · 10/10 · 18 July 2005]

It's too bad that we are now in an age of declining literacy - people who can still read but increasingly choose not to take the time or the trouble. The Five People You Meet In Heaven is a novel that I now want to read as soon as possible, after having viewed it on DVD recently.

It might be one of the better films I've seen in this new century - or the last - and what a shame that it had to be released as a TV-movie. Unlike Mr. Tyler Berry, who gave this film a poor review after watching it on television, I was able to recently watch it on DVD, w.o. commercials. Perhaps that makes the difference.

However, Hollywood also makes a majority of its movies with an idea of 100 minutes viewing time, give or take a few either way. It's tough for people to sit down and watch a film of 2 hrs. or more in length, because they're now conditioned to watch shorter vehicles.

I found Jon Voigt's performance tremendously affecting - I wanted to see how he 'did' on his journey through the highs & 'lows' of his life, and couldn't wait to meet each of the next of "The Five People You Meet in Heaven."

Jeff Daniels was a revelation as the Blue Man. I didn't recognize him at all until I went to IMDb & read the credits.

Ellen Burstyn is always worth watching, and you can tell that she - and many of the other actors, most of them 'unknowns' - had extensive stage background. They're not just movie/TV personalities - they've learned their craft.

The actress who played Margeurite gave a very poignant performance. I wondered what might happen with Eddie and her after the war.

Jon Voight's problems with his father probably resonated with all who have had difficulties with their pater, and I am one of those. The scene in the diner was very effective. Not many words were needed - just the 'picture'.

Even more effective was his scene with the young Oriental girl, whose hands help guide him towards the end of his own journey.

I would highly recommend The Five People You Meet In Heaven to all who are interested in fine acting, good story-telling, and effective drama.

Yech! Horrible Movie!

[mlleelizabeth · 1/10 · 23 August 2007]

This movie fails on so many levels. First, it is not at all as advertised. The description claimed it was a story about a man (Eddie) dying and meeting in Heaven five people who show him how he affected their lives. There is an implication it is uplifting. This is not true. Instead it is a depressing feel-bad movie about a man who dies and meets in Heaven five people who preach at him and show him their own deaths, and in two notable cases, how Eddie caused those deaths. The guy goes through the movie feeling worse and worse about himself until in the last minute the movie does a complete turnaround and you get about 5 seconds of "feel-good" instead of the feel-bad, but it's contrived and absurd. For the most part, this movie is an obnoxious, preachy guilt trip. It is also horrifically overly sentimental and smug in its sentimentality. You can tell the idiot who wrote the book was pretty much demanding a fistful of awards for his pretentious drek.

The stories are ridiculous and contrived. They make more sense as parodies of bad Lifetime movie plots and reading reviews of it I see that it was, indeed, made for TV. At least that means no one actually spent money on gas or theater tickets for it. I kind of hate the word bathos, but this is one case where it is the only word that makes any sense as a description. And there are a couple of scenes that were clearly designed as sucker punches.

The editing is choppy, especially the sound. I don't think this was done for effect, as it doesn't make sense that way. The art direction is acceptable, as are the costumes and sets. However the director doesn't really make very good use of the carnival/amusement park setting.

The acting is mostly horrible, but given the bad script that may have been somewhat inescapable. On the plus side, Jeff Daniels and Callum Keith Rennie both do a fairly creditable job in a very small role and a rather important role respectively. However, Daniels's character does join the ranks of the arrogant and preachy at times. Rennie's, on the other hand, is a jerk but at least he plays the part fairly cleanly. On the very bad side, Jon Voight's pathetic, miserable Eddie makes no sense whatsoever. There is a complete disconnect between the character and the events of his life. And the scene where he plays Eddie forgiving his father made me cringe with extreme embarrassment for him. It should have been sweet and touching. Instead it is laughable. Then on the extremely horrible side we have Ellen Burnstyn. I do not think I have ever been quite so disappointed in an actress. She's usually wonderful, but in this turkey she's completely foul. She comes off as smug, arrogant and patronizing. Her narration is like nails scratching a chalkboard.

The acting is mostly awful, the script is something the writer should be horribly ashamed of, and the advertising for it is flat out false and misleading. I usually like uplifting movies, so the awfulness of this thing was that much more disappointing.

In summary: Worst movie I've seen in years.

Beautiful Movie

[CLHJE7 · 6 December 2004]

I have never read the book, always meant to just never have the time. Couldn't wait for the movie. I thought it was done so well and the acting of all everyone involved was so believable. Jon Voight was the movie. It does make you stop and think about how many people in your life time that you have touched and who by knowing you in someway their life has been better. Eddie thought his life was a failure when it wasn't at all. I only wish all movie could make you feel that way, that you that in the end you realize your life hasn't been a waste. As someone who recently lost someone that I loved very much, but never told them because you don't think that they will died I only hope that they are one of my five's Thank you for the book, the movie and Jon Voight.

awesome movie

[halley_baby05 · 10/10 · 1 May 2005]

it's the type of movie that really makes you think about life. if you're into those types of movies (like I am) then you'll definitely love it. the filming wasn't bad but it could have been done better. Still overall I'd say it's for sure one that I'll be watching again. It's sad at some parts but the end will leave you in a happy mood (if you're at all like me). Movies like this one always make me feel a lot better about my life...you could also see the movie What dreams may come (with Robin Williams) it's really sad but I love that movie!!!! The five people you meet in heaven is not a predictable movie like most rescent movies are.......so you can't really guess what's gonna happen next. You have to wait until the very end to find out the reason for everything. I guess that would be the point of the whole movie though...

If you have watched Big Fish, you'll definitely love this one!

[pip-7 · 10/10 · 17 April 2005]

Many people have always thought that they don't do anything significant to change the lives of other people. That's absolutely true, in our point of view but there is something that we may not expect during our entire lifetime; some uncertainties can actually lead to the fact that we DO make a difference, that's if you meet the people you may or may not recognize in heaven. This is the main theme of this truly powerful miniseries based on the book by Mitch Albom.

Even if you haven't read the book, you will be instantly enchanted by the show's believable characters, a story with unexpected twists, lavish settings and even some of the most emotional scenes to be shown on TV (that's really next to the equally powerful montage scenes from Frank Herbert's Children of Dune). Those who have watched Tim Burton's adaptation of Big Fish will also find some similarities in this show too, in terms of its whimsical, fairy tale-like narration.

Bravo to all the actors who work on Five People for bringing much joy, sadness, anger, melancholy and most importantly, everlasting love to grace the screens and should deserve much credit for such occasion. The settings differ from one scene to another as we travel through poor Eddie's spiritual journey in his entire lifetime while cleverly edited to convey each section's (in this case, five) theme and purpose despite the fact that all of them take place in completely different eras and realms. The music, too, is amazingly serene and moving, contributing much to the flow of the story as well. Perhaps, the most rewarding part of Five People is the revelations that we all feel in which Eddie finally attempts to redeem himself from the terrible things he has done and free himself from the limitation of being human. And all that can be done with only some simple but ultimately very 'human' deed without the need for fancy special effects or clumsy, cheesy pitfalls (one of the finest examples is the river scene in which Eddie washes the scars of the fifth person, the same person he burned with a flamethrower during WWII. All it requires is a tiny rock but that scene alone already captures the hearts of the audience, including mine!).

I highly recommend this not only to fans of Tim Burton or Terry Gilliam but also all the people who enjoy a really good story about an unlikely person who proves to be more special like all of us on this good old Earth.

Lessons on how to live

[ptwomey-1 · 10/10 · 6 December 2004]

This is pure Mitch Albom. Eddie (Jon Voight) learns his lessons in heaven but these lessons are lessons to enrich the lives of the living. They are powerful yet simple lessons that are easily overlooked by all of us if we allow ourselves to become engrossed with our everyday problems. Each one of our lives touches many other lives without us being aware of the impact we may have on one another.

The acting was superb and the characters held my attention. A triumph of the heart and the human spirit. Very uplifting and entertaining. It is one of the best productions I have ever viewed. JonVoight gives a magnificent performance as a simple honest man.

Mitch Albom is pleased with it and he well should be. A rating of ten for sure.

Faithful adaptation of the book, outstanding performances

[talespinner2002 · 10/10 · 6 December 2004]

Albom's book was one of my favorites for the year and I hoped that his screenplay would retain the spirit of the book. I was not disappointed. Voight's performance as Eddie was practically perfect. Ellen Burstyn was outstanding as Ruby and having her narrate parts of the story helped fill in some flashbacks that appeared in the book but were omitted in the film. All of the supporting players were well cast, especially Dagmara Dominczyk as Margarite and Jeff Daniels as Blue Man. I thought the cinematography was top notch and added to the presentation. Many times a book is lost in translation to film but this is not the case with The Five People You Meet in Heaven.

eh

[mcgrew · 4/10 · 5 December 2004]

I have not read the book, so I saw this 'cold', and was not "pre-enchanted".

While this might have been faithful to the book, as a movie it doesn't deliver. Our hero (Jon Voight) dies and goes to heaven, where he meets folks he affected or affected him (some in fairly tenuous ways). Although the screenplay was written by the original author, I was unimpressed with it throughout. It might have something to do with the director, though, who seemed to be trying to shoot a soap-opera, what with the swooping-zoom-to-the-face at every commercial break, and generally dull look (yes, I know, its heaven, it doesn't play by the rules, but c'mon...)

What with the premise (basically that of "It's a Wonderful Life", but too late to do anything about it), this thing cried out for better dialogue. I guess I'm supposed to get all weepy, feeling empathy for this guy (after all, he hates/loves his father -- don't all guys hate/love their fathers? Sorry Oprah, but it ain't necessarily so), but I didn't. I was hoping for some interesting philosophy about life and death, I didn't hear it. I did feel one bit of empathy for ol' Eddie, though -- he trudged from person to person, and so did I. I just couldn't care about any of them, and eventually, even Eddie wore out his welcome. By the time we got to the big-surprise-little-girl, I was pretty disengaged. By the time we get to the ending-that- is-the-beginning-of-the-ending-of-the-beginning-of-the-ending, I was just glad -- glad that it was over.

Anyway, it turns out that what people want when they go to heaven is forgiveness, from pretty much any one available to provide it (it's it a bit too late for that once you're already in heaven anyhow?) Daddy didn't love me/yes he did, I'm a failure/no I'm not, I'm a bad guy/ I'm a good guy. Sobs all around, everyone feels better. yippee. Give this one a pass.

... oh yeah, and could the 'battle scenes' have been any lamer?

Touching but too long

[Gordon-11 · 2 October 2006]

This film is about a man's journey in heaven after he dies. He meets five people in heaven, each teaching him different things that he never knew or understood before.

I have read the book and was deeply touched by it. This film stays very true to the book. The film is basically a direct adaptation of the book, translating every single line of the book into audiovisual material. The end result is that there are many dialogs and scenes that simply do not work in the film. I feel that there are so many scenes that can be cut, and so many dialogs that can be omitted in the film. For example, it does not hurt the film at all if the captain does not ask if the army boys kept in touch with each other. Or the interspersed childhood scenes, which if omitted, will make the film flow more seamlessly.

This is not to say that the film is not good. It is very good, the sets are meticulously created, the acting is great, and the film is touching. My only complaint is that it is too long. Spending 40 minutes on the second person and another 40 minutes on the third person is simply too long.

Amazing

[ahurlbut · 10/10 · 6 December 2004]

When this book first came out, I heard so many wonderful things about it. The book is fabulous, and I found the movie to be excellent! It was so moving and wonderfully adapted, so visually appealing, and so enthralling.

Yesterday, I had read Mitch Albom's column about the making of the movie, how much it surprised him that something he had written (without specific people or a movie experience in mind) could become what it did.

This movie is definitely worth seeing and the book is also something you need to read. I will be buying this once it comes to DVD. I haven't been so touched in a movie in a very long time.

how we affect each other even in small ways

[wiateriris · 10/10 · 3 June 2005]

I read Tuesday with Morrie by Mitch Albom for a counseling class. I loved the book. Then I saw the Five People you meet in heaven. My husband and 15 yr old watched the movie together. It impacted my 15 yr old. We impact each person we meet even though we may never see them again, we have made an impact in that life. We cried and laughed at the same time. Very touching, I recommend it. I could not understand at first Tala asking him to wash her, but then it did. I also read the book the next day. I noticed that both books are related in the impact we all have with each other. I enjoyed the ending, although I will not reveal it. I though Jon Voight did a great job playing Eddie. Recommend the books and the movies.

there are very few movies that can make my b/f cry- we were both bawling

[MyOwnNarnia · 9/10 · 12 February 2005]

My boyfriend brought home this DVD 2 days ago... I really didn't think it was possible to make a good movie out of "The Five People You Meet in Heaven", but I was proved wrong. It was actually very good, I liked the no-name actors that they picked, and Marguerite was gorgeous. This movie was so emotional and full of beauty that both my boyfriend and me were getting out the tissues to soak up our tears. The only things I can complain about are some of the "special effects" they use in the backgrounds (especially at the end of Eddie's meeting with his 2nd person- you know what I'm talking about). Also, "the blue man" had quite the accent (more funny then bad in my opinion).

Overall, "The Five People You Meet in Heaven" was great for being a hallmark movie. Heck, it was good anyway. It was nice to have a change in movies to something more heartfelt.

Book awesome, movie the icing on the cake

[NightGoddess · 9/10 · 13 November 2005]

Although the book was much better in my opinion, the movie was wonderful also. I couldn't put the book down, it pulled on my heart strings, and was very similar to how I believe things to work in the world. (everyone affecting everyone, every experience affecting everyone around it) Hey, this is one of my first posts, so don't be too hard on me if you don't agree. :) LOVED the book. Anyone read Tuesdays With Morrie yet? The book definitely has much more detail, as most "book to movies" do. The movie just helped me put it all into an image, and a good one, at that. I thought Jon Voight was perfect as the main character. Some ideas were disappointing, because most of us imagine heaven as place of miracles and happiness. This book and movie just shows us another concept of life after death.

Overblown, Long and Boring

[Plexust · 1/10 · 6 December 2004]

I had not read the book, so all I had to go on was IMDb and the buzz. I was severely disappointed.

While I like the basic premise of this story, the execution was flawed. It just felt long, and each commercial break just added to my frustration. The dialog was cringe worthy in some instances, and the message wasn't all too clear in the second half of the movie.

This sort of meandering plot-line works well in novel form, but utterly fails in translation to cinematic form; I just felt bored and ultimately stopped caring.

What could have been an excellent movie about self discovery in the afterlife, and finding purpose in the short time that we have here was instead bloated and painfully long.

"Life has to end...Love doesn't."

[treeline1 · 8 July 2009]

Eddie (Jon Voight) is an old man who has spent his whole life doing maintenance at the Ruby Pier amusement park. Today, one of the rides malfunctions and threatens a child's life. As he rushes to save her, he is whisked to Heaven where he meets five people from his past - people he loved and hated, and even one he didn't know at all.

I expected this movie to be sappy and maudlin and in a way it was, but it was so well done I was quite moved by it. Eddie's trip to Heaven is much like Scrooge's in "A Christmas Carol," but instead of three ghostly guides, Eddie is met by five people who touched his life or who were affected by his and who ease his transition to the great beyond. It's a fantasy world with frightening war scenes and innocent love scenes, and while I watched I couldn't help but think of my own life, quite ordinary like Eddie's, but who knows how many I have affected for better or worse?

I tear up easily at sad movies, but this time I went far beyond sobbing; I wailed the whole time. The movie really got to me. We're all going to find out what death is like someday and I'm more than curious. Also, as I've aged and lost dear ones, I long to see them again. This is a thought-provoking, tender tale that really touched my heart.

A great quality film

[fluffymarshmallowsandtof · 10/10 · 15 November 2005]

I bought the book "The Five People You Meet in Heaven" in November of 2003, and loved it. I was touched by its optimism, story and general texture. I loved the differences between each section, such as the wartime and the love story. It's an incredible book, and I recommend reading it whether or not you have seen the film. The film remains true to the original story, which is just superb.

When I first heard that it had been made into a film, I was excited. When i heard it was starring Jon Voight, and was going to be on the Hallmark channel, i knew I had to see it. to be fair, i'm currently watching it (again) and am writing the review as it goes. I am very impressed by the direction, the use of colour really drives the mood. The casting is perfect, Jeff Bridges surprised me with a fantastic job of embodying the Blue Man- I don't really need to discuss the other actors, they have brilliant reputations and this film gives you an idea why.

I would definitely love to get a copy of this on DVD, its a movie unlike what I would usually enjoy, but I found it to be warming and something that really gets you thinking and feeling good.

Check it out, definitely