This movie is about the story of a small boy who claims to be have been to Heaven and back to be able to prove to his family and loved ones about what is apparent in the title. However, this can leave some viewers disgruntled about the movie after watching it, as it manages to strike in the beliefs and disbeliefs of many about the eternal debate on the existence of God and Heaven.
Plot: After an emergency surgery under amnesia, 4-year-old Colton, comes to his senses, revealing to everyone about how he has visited Heaven. He can tell his parents, Todd and Sonja Burpo about what he saw in Heaven in the most casual way and also appears to have the knowledge of things that had happened before his birth, which he couldn’t have possibly known. He may be telling everyone about how Jesus has told him about all these things matter-of-factly, but his parents seem to be having the hardest time trying to deal with their son as they tip-toe around the possibility of the whole scenario.
This movie is based on true incidents that took place with a pastor in Nebraska and his wife, and the movie is an adaptation from the novel of by them, narrating about their unusual experience. This movie has some great performances by the Academy Award nominee and Emmy Award-winning actor,
Greg Kinnear
. Even the young newcomer, Connor Corum is the most adorable lead actor of the movie, and also the support of the entire supporting cast who have all managed to maintain the sensitive message that this movie is trying to propagate.
The search for the truth is what makes the audience completely engaged in this movie. There are lots of incidents and dialogues that would clearly reflect the opinions of an atheist while everyone is trying to figure out whether the youngster is telling the truth or not. It may not seem like a one-sided propaganda about God and Heaven in the beginning, as even the Pastor considers the explanation of a psychologist who explains that this boy’s belief might have only been the chemicals in his brain causing hallucinations. However, as the movie progresses, the various proofs and incidents that keep popping up seem to be mocking the atheists, like when the boy curtly accuses the psychologist of “not having faith”. Even though there are many elements that smoothly piece together to support the existence of Heaven, it always seems to be lacking the empathy that may have been needed for the non-believers.
The director of photography, Dean Semler has done an incredible job of making the movie very aesthetically appealing as most of the shots are done outdoors, and it makes a very good setting for the moral of the movie. However, the clichéd and stereotypical ways in which the whole story is set, especially the scene where we actually get to see Jesus, makes the whole faith pinching and forced.
Verdict: To this Christian drama that waves the importance of “faith” in our faces and does so much more than what the audience needed, I give this movie, 2 out of 5 victories.