Five Minutes of Heaven

Viewer Rating:Slick has rated Five Minutes of Heaven rating: 5 Star

This is the most taught, tense and thought provoking film I have ever seen. James Nesbitt deserves an Oscar for his portrayal of the angst-ridden nerve-shredded brother of a sectarian murder victim, which dates from his childhood, as he sets out to meet the sanguine assassin Neeson in a meeting organised for tv to cover the reconciliation in Northern Ireland's peace process. Neeson portrays himself much like an ex-SS guard, regretful but with a mindset that he was following orders, it was nothing personal, just something that stemmed from those troubled times. Nesbitt's confusion between rage and reconcilition is truly nailbaiting and heart rending; Neeson's troubled nonchalance convincing as it is disturbing. Both men now have something to live for, but the depth of hatred is to be reconciled. Can it be done? As they arrive seperately to meet for the filming at a castle hotel the tension is almost unbearable. TV executives advising each man in how to handle himself will have you screaming with irritation in it's irrelevance - don't they realise what is truly going on here. To go any further would hint at the outcome. This is a massively relevant and powerful movie, and happens to be so well scripted and directed it is a gut-wrenching thriller. You will not look away or miss a single word - deserved of cinema release it is probably the finest work you might never see. Awesome.

Review published on the 25 November 2009 12:42