Heaven film review

certificate_15

HEAVEN

English schoolteacher Philippa (Cate Blanchett) has watched helplessly as corrupt businessman Vendice (Stefano Santospago) destroys the lives of the people she loves.

He has turned her husband into a heroin addict, and regularly peddles drugs to children in the schoolyard.

Determined to end the cycle of addiction and misery, Philippa plants a bomb in Vendice's offices, making sure that his secretary and work mates are clear of the blast.

Unfortunately, the plan goes tragically wrong when a cleaner mistakenly picks up the bomb, and four innocent bystanders are killed in the explosion.

Philippa is immediately arrested and labelled a terrorist by the police, who interrogate her for the names of her supposed collaborators. She denies any conspiracy, but the authorities are unwilling to believe she acts alone.

Thankfully, idealist policeman Filippo (Giovanni Ribisi) is moved by Philippa's story, and risks his career and freedom to aid her dramatic escape. Together, the two fugitives set about bringing Vendice to justice, whilst avoiding recapture at the hands of wily Major Pini (Mattia Sbragia).

They head for the countryside and Philippa's friends and family, calling upon Filippo's authoritarian father (Remo Girone) to aid their perilous quest.

Written by veteran Polish director Kryzsztof Kieslowski shortly before his death in 1996, Heaven is a mesmerising morality tale, directed with a keen eye for detail by Tom Tykwer (Run Lola Run).

Blanchett delivers another luminous performance, barely able to conceal Philippa's rage and desperation as she tries to overcome overwhelming odds.

The pace is deliberately slow, and half of the dialogue is in subtitled Italian, but don't let that put you off, otherwise you'll be passing by a glimpse of the sublime.