Five Minutes of Heaven poster & wallpaper
Get movie widget Recommend it Add to Favorites

Liam Neeson, James Nesbitt, Anamaria Marinca

Oliver Hirschbiegel, director of Das Experiment and The Invasion, takes the helm for this film about a killer who dares not seek forgiveness, and another who feels incapable of granting it. The politi... read more read more...cal divide in Ireland runs as far as it does deep. Alistair (Liam Neeson) and Joe (James Nesbitt) each stand on opposing sides of that gaping chasm. Alistair killed Joe's brother, and for than man who's lost family, absolution simply isn't an option. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Flixster Users

55% liked it

20,665 ratings

Critics

76% liked it

45 critics

R, 1 hr. 30 min.

Directed by: Oliver Hirschbiegel

Release Date: January 19, 2009

Invite friends to see

DVD Release Date: April 27, 2010

Get It:

Stats: 530 reviews

report incorrect info

Photos

Five Minutes of Heaven
Upload a Photo | View All Five Minutes of Heaven Photos

Your Rating


clear rating

Flixster Reviews (530)

  • itsjustme2004
    October 14, 2010
    itsjustme2004
    I originally thought that this was going to be just another one of those Northern Ireland in religious turmoil movies....but it wasn't. The concept of this movie dealing with the after effects of the senseless killings that went on is really original. I found this movie very inte... read moreresting. Liam Neeson is wonderful in it, as usual, which really was a plus.
  • arashxak
    October 3, 2010
    arashxak
    Or how to turn an interesting premise into such an insipid film, Five minutes Of heaven is just as shallow & simple-minded as Little's preachy monologue in front of the camera, Vengeance, Guilt, ... nothing is portrayed well here, Little is supposed to be a man who feels some sor... read moret of guilt but Neeson basically plays a zombie, sometimes you wonder if he actually believes in what he is saying or he is just selling his preachings and Nesbitt on the other hand overacts a bit, Overall the film sometimes exaggerates like the whole thing with the mother blaming everything on the kid and downplays it when it should depict more, And yeah Griffin is suddenly moved by Little's one sentence?, It's a huge disappointment specially for the director of "Downfall" & "the Experiment"
  • LorenzoVonMatterhorn
    June 1, 2010
    LorenzoVonMatterhorn
    "To face the future, they must face the past."

    The story of former UVF member Alistair Little. Twenty-five years after Little killed Joe Griffen's brother, the media arrange an auspicious meeting between the two.

    REV
    ... read moreIEW
    Fact based fictional account about the meeting of two men, one who killed the brother of the other as part of the sectarian violence in Northern Ireland. The meeting, arranged by a television network, is suppose to illustrate how people are coming together, however for the two men the event is something else. Where it goes and how it goes is not what you expect, it wasn't what I expected. Liam Neeson and James Nesbitt as the two men are excellent. Neeson as the shooter looking for absolution, but never saying it, is a quiet tower of seeming strength while underneath he's bubbling with uncertainty.Nesbitt is all nervous twitches and ticks. He's very funny in his refusal to deal with the man who he saw killed his brother. He is haunted by the need to take revenge even though he wants never to have to do so. I thought his character and performance were amusing and wrong for a portion of the film until I suddenly understood it was right on target and perfectly done. This is a unique and very real look at how we deal with the wrongs we have done and had done to ourselves. By the time the film had ended I found myself moved several times, probably more so in that the film doesn't punctuate each moment with swelling music or dramatic flourishes. This is a film where the small moments move you, something as simple as a smile makes you weepy. I recommend this film highly. Its not the best film ever made but it neatly gets its point across in such away that you are forced to reflect and perhaps change.
  • jlewis07
    May 14, 2010
    jlewis07
    A movie worth the 90 minutes invested, even when the movie starts to get slow towards the end and builds to a conclusion that doesn't satisfy in all regards. The acting is great and we understand the pain both of these characters have gone through since the killing occurred. For ... read morethose that don't know, the movies about the meeting of 2 individuals, one whom killed the others older brother in Northern Ireland when the Catholics and Ulster Volunteer Force were fighting and riots were everywhere and everyday.

    The movie takes place 30 years later when they are both grown men (Liam Neeson plays the killer, who was 17 at the time, and James Nesbitt plays the victim, who was 11 at the time). James Nesbitt's character witnessed the whole thing and looked the killer straight in the eyes when it happened. The killer didn't know it was the brother, or he says he probably would have killed him too (this is said by Liam Neeson during a monologue). The mom blames the little kid for not stopping the killer, even though there was nothing he could really do. This is what hurts him the most. They are to meet on a television program and hopefully reconcile in front of everyone.

    There's a very good build up to this point, and what happens may surprise you a little bit. The movie loses steam a little towards the end when it gets really talky, but it is great until then. The roles are even reversed, with Liam Neeson playing the torn character hoping to be set free of his guilt, while James Nesbitt just wants to kill him for revenge, no matter what it cost him. The movie also does a great job of getting you to sympathize with both characters at once, since they aren't in the same scene together (or room for that matter). It isn't a must see movie, but one I can definitely recommend.
  • flixsterman
    May 9, 2010
    flixsterman
    Good Irish drama dealing with the aftermath of war and personal tragedy. The only knock on this one is the ending which seems a little half-hearted and insincere.
  • DerekA101
    January 6, 2010
    DerekA101
    An underrated, lesser-known film in 2009, Five Minutes of Heaven is a gritty story of revenge. Twenty-five years after watching his brother get brutally murdered, Joe is forced to meet the man who has traumatized his entire life on, of all places, a TV show.

    Thematic an

    ... read mored brutal, director Oliver Hirschbiegel is unforgiving in crafting the brutal reality of gangs in Ireland in the 1970's. James Nesbitt is outstanding in his portrayal of a man who can't escape the nightmares of his past, and his unsuccessful attempts at coping with the present as he faces the imminent meeting of the man who killed his brother. Liam Neeson is incredible as always as the cold but repentant killer.

    The theme of this film centers around forgiveness and vengeance, but it also has something to say about reality TV. This film exploits the heartless core of media today, illustrating their thirst for ratings at all costs... even if it means pitting a killer face to face with his victim's brother.

    My main issue with this film is in the rehashed storyline. The story of vengeance is nothing new, but I would've liked to have seen the director turn this into a witty Frost Nixon sort of confrontation. In a film that was extremely wordy in its dialog, the climatic scenes of importance were reduced to fist punches and uninspiring dialog of self-redemption. I didn't dislike the ending, but I feel the only thing weighing down this well done gem is the very mediocre conclusion.

    Five Minutes of Heaven is still a very good exploration of repressed guilt and anger with outstanding, Oscar-worthy performances.
  • gator681
    August 30, 2009
    gator681
    In "Five Minutes of Heaven," Alistair Little(Liam Neeson) and Joe Griffen(James Nesbitt) are about to meet for the second time, on this occasion before television cameras. Their first time was in 1975 when Alistair killed Joe's brother in front of him and Alistair would spend tw... read moreelve years in jail. Alistair(Mark Davison) was like a lot of other 14-year olds as he liked girls and pop music and was worried about getting zits. But since this was Northern Ireland and he was Protestant, he was also a member of the Ulster Volunteer Force. In the present day, with lots of practice in front of cameras detailing his story, Alistair is relaxed(and better dressed), compared to Joe who is extremely nervous, chain smoking and talking way too much.

    Although stagy, "Five Minutes of Heaven" is an intelligent and well-acted microcosm of the continuing cost of the conflict in Northern Ireland. Even without the violence and British troops patrolling the streets, certain wounds continue to fester, making reconciliation a tricky business. This does not stop the television crews from looking for as simple a resolution as possible and one they can stage manage.
  • fb1360693664
    February 14, 2011
    fb1360693664
    Even with the acting that these two incredible actors give, it does not stop reminding us that this is just boring.
  • xxdebxx
    July 23, 2011
    xxdebxx
    "Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."

    More than thirty years after he saw his older brother gunned down by a teenage "member" of the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF), Joe Griffin's (James Nesbitt) wounds ar... read moree still fresh and the memories of that night still vivid. Not only does he have to deal with the loss of his brother but his mom also blames him for not having done anything to save him.

    The film skips forward to the present day where Joe sincerely doubts his decision to do a one-to-one interview with the killer arranged by a television network to discuss truth and reconciliation. For Alistair Little (Liam Neeson) it is a more familiar process as he has done much public soul-searching since his "rehabilitation" from prison and is desperately seeking absolution. Little does he know that the volatile Joe plans to avenge his brother's death on National T.V.

    Guy Hibbert has written a beautiful screenplay, allowing the actors to plumb the frightening abyss of pain, rage, revenge, and redemption.
  • nadyajoensen
    June 10, 2010
    nadyajoensen
    Spectacular actors and a spectacular story. But sadly I was very disappointed because I was very bored watching this movie. I had been really looking forward to watching this movie and it didn't really catch my interest once it was running.

View All Five Minutes of Heaven Reviews

Critic Reviews

James Berardinelli
September 9, 2009
James Berardinelli, ReelViews

The movie might have been more tense had it been a little more quiet. Neeson and Nesbitt, however, are so good that narrative hiccups never threaten to lose us... Full Review

Peter Rainer
September 2, 2009
Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor

So many movies set in Northern Ireland are about the Troubles that we might justifiably ask, why another? Five Minutes of Heaven is far from the best of the breed, but it does at least take a new tack. Full Review

Gary Goldstein
August 28, 2009
Gary Goldstein, Los Angeles Times

Ultimately, Five Minutes of Heaven is stronger as a whole than its individual parts. Full Review

Lisa Schwarzbaum
August 26, 2009
Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly

It's an original movie idea that feels written for the stage, all the more so since so much of our attention is diverted to admiring how the actors act, in roles with a high degree of technical
... Full Review

Joe Neumaier
August 21, 2009
Joe Neumaier, New York Daily News

Early scenes set up the tragedy, but the majority of Oliver Hirschbiegel's movie is set in a TV studio where the two eventually face each other, and the tension, unfortunately, quickly becomes stagey. Full Review

Manohla Dargis
August 21, 2009
Manohla Dargis, New York Times

A feature-length talkathon built on a sketchy premise and strong star turns from Liam Neeson and James Nesbitt.

Rex Reed
August 19, 2009
Rex Reed, New York Observer

Could benefit from a little less of the balanced historical context and a little more of the movie madness of Quentin Tarantino. Full Review

Vadim Rizov
August 18, 2009
Vadim Rizov, Village Voice

The three parts never coalesce, even if they each have potential. Full Review

Kirk Honeycutt
August 18, 2009
Kirk Honeycutt, Hollywood Reporter

It is very good at stating the obvious but fails to bring new insight to this age-old morality tale.

Dennis Harvey
April 23, 2009
Dennis Harvey, Variety

Powerhouse performances by Liam Neeson and James Nesbit make this an intense, ultimately moving tale. Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Cast

More Like This

Click a thumb to vote on that suggestion, or add your own suggestions.

  • RocknRolla
    RocknRolla (100%)
  • Michael Collins
    Michael Collins (100%)
  • Patriot Games
    Patriot Games (100%)
  • Far and Away
    Far and Away (100%)

More Movies like Five Minutes of Heaven

Facts

No facts approved yet. Be the first

Five Minutes of H... : Watch Free on TV

Movie Quizzes

No quizzes for Five Minutes of Heaven. Want to create one?

Video Clips

Upload a Video |

All Five Minutes of Heaven Videos

Meet Other Fans

Add Five Minutes of Heaven to favorites

Recent News

No recent headlines. Got one?

Recent Lists

Make a List |

View All Lists

Most Popular Skin

No skins yet. Interested in creating one?