While certain religious groups continue to take issue with Darren Aronofosky's unorthodox approach to Noah, perhaps they'll find Heaven is for Real more to their liking. Written and directed by Randall Wallace (Braveheart, Secretariat), the Christian-themed film is based on the #1 best-selling book by Todd Burpo, and stars Greg Kinnear as the author whose young son Colton had a near death experience but survived to describe Heaven in vivid detail. Kelly Reilly (Flight) plays Sonja Burpo, who joins her husband in sharing their son's extraordinary experience, examining their own faith in the process.
To me this film looks maddeningly cheesy, with mildly inspirational dialogue too on-the-nose to sound authentic. But Kinnear and Reilly are solid actors, and they should get plenty of help from co-stars Margo Martindale and Thomas Haden Church. There's an audience for this sort of film, it's just not me. Heaven is for Real opens April 16th 2014.
