Plot
A small-town father must find the courage and conviction to share his son's extraordinary, life-changing experience with the world.

Release Year: 2014

Rating: 5.3/10 (417 voted)

Critic's Score: 47/100

Director: Randall Wallace

Stars: Greg Kinnear, Kelly Reilly, Thomas Haden Church

Storyline
Based on the #1 New York Times best-selling book of the same name, HEAVEN IS FOR REAL brings to the screen the true story of a small-town father who must find the courage and conviction to share his son's extraordinary, life-changing experience with the world. The film stars Academy Award® nominee and Emmy® award winning actor Greg Kinnear as Todd Burpo and co-stars Kelly Reilly as Sonja Burpo, the real-life couple whose son Colton (newcomer Connor Corum) claims to have visited Heaven during a near death experience. Colton recounts the details of his amazing journey with childlike innocence and speaks matter-of-factly about things that happened before his birth ... things he couldn't possibly know. Todd and his family are then challenged to examine the meaning from this remarkable event.

Writers: Todd Burpo, Chris Parker

Cast:
Greg Kinnear - Todd Burpo
Kelly Reilly - Sonja Burpo
Thomas Haden Church - Jay Wilkins
Connor Corum - Colton Burpo
Lane Styles - Cassie Burpo
Margo Martindale - Nancy Rawling
Jacob Vargas - Michael
Thanya Romero - Rosa
Danso Gordon - Ray
Rob Moran - Dr. O'Holleran
Nancy Sorel - Dr. Charlotte Slater
Darcy Fehr - Lee Watson
Vivian Winther - Katherine Watson
Pete Hudson - Old Man Watson
Ursula Clark - Painting Girl

Taglines: Unlock the mystery

Country: USA

Language: English

Release Date: 16 April 2014

Filming Locations: Warren, Manitoba, Canada

Gross: $3,703,141 (USA) (16 April 2014)

Runtime: 100 min

Author:

Rating: 8/10

Approaching Easter, the Holy Week in which Christ died for our sins and rose on the third day, it is very meaningful to see a movie that is based on the simple fact that sometimes seeing isn't just believing.

Heaven is for Real is a movie based on true events that unfolded in the summer of 2003 when a young boy named Colton went to heaven. Colton was four years old at the time and was suffering from a ruptured appendix. During the time the surgery was being performed, Colton lifted out of his body and saw things - incredible things. When he awoke from surgery, Colton did not share his experiences right away, but with time began to open up to his father.

Greg Kinnear leads a stellar cast in the story, bringing Todd Burpo to life on film. Todd is a pastor and has been most of his life, leading a small church in Nebraska. His wife Sonja Burpo, played by Kelly Riley, leads her women's choir group and is the ever faithful church wife. Along with Thomas Haden Church, Margo Martindale, and Conor Corum (Colton) rounding out the cast. When events put their son into the hospital they are forced to make a choice: believe that God can bring their son back or fall into despair. As Todd struggles with this question in the chapel he gets angry with God while his wife Sonja calls the church family for prayer - an image that Colton sees as he walks with Jesus.

Many other stories unfold about Colton's visit to heaven. He sees images of family members that have passed away, visions of what heaven looks like, and even Jesus' appearance which is not like the pictures he has seen in Sunday School books. Many people in the small town do not want to believe this, finding it too scary to believe or struggling with the fact that maybe there truly is a heaven. One fact remains - a young boy visited heaven and he believes it. Scripture says that we must come to Jesus as children and Colton certainly did that.

There has been much criticism about the book and now the movie, debating theological doctrine, actual medical reports that Colton did not really die at any point, and that there are holes around the story biblically. However, the idea remains: it's an imperfect story for an imperfect world. Jesus came to a little boy and revealed Himself in a way that Colton would understand. The truth is, Jesus does that for us each and every day. We are all imperfect and undeserving of His love, and yet He gives it freely. So I ask, what is so wrong with believing that He could hold the hand of a four year old and take him on a walk? He desires to do that with each one of us, if only we would believe and let Him.

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