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Other Side of Heaven, The
Excel Entertainment


8.2

based on 16 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

based on 55 votes
Read user comments
Rate this movie

MPAA RATING: PG for thematic elements and brief disturbing images

Starring Christopher Gorham, Anne Hathaway, Joe Folau, Miriama Smith, Nathaniel Lees, Whetu Fala, Alvin Fitisemanu, and Peter Sa'ena Brown

This romantic coming of age story is based on the memoirs of John H. Groberg, who served as a missionary in the remote Tongan Islands in the 1950's. (Excel Entertainment Group)

GENRE(S):	Drama
WRITTEN BY:	Mitch Davis John H. Groberg (book In the Eye of the Storm)
DIRECTED BY:	Mitch Davis
RELEASE DATE:	DVD: April 1, 2003 Video: April 1, 2003 Theatrical: April 12, 2002
RUNNING TIME:	113 minutes, Color
ORIGIN:	USA

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

Chicago Tribune Robert K. Elder

Captures a breathtaking exotic landscape cluttered only by the smugness of its characters.

Philadelphia Inquirer Carrie Rickey

It is inspirational in characterizing how people from such diverse cultures share the same human and spiritual needs.

Washington Post Michael O'Sullivan

A tad preachy and more than a little bit sanctimonious.

Entertainment Weekly Chris Willman

Slick, fact-based, missionary-themed drama.

Variety Scott Foundas

Rousing, family-friendly item has a big, epic look and state-of-the-art visual effects, which help to make pic -- a high-profile example of the mainstreaming of Christian entertainment.

New York Post Lou Lumenick

Easier to sit through than the typical, earnest Christian movie.

San Francisco Chronicle Edward Guthmann

Handsome and sincere but slightly awkward in its combination of entertainment and evangelical boosterism.

New York Daily News Elizabeth Weitzman

Earnest, fact-based drama is marred only by the fact that it wants desperately to save your soul.

TV Guide Ken Fox

The film looks great and makes sophisticated use of digital effects.

LA Weekly Ron Stringer

A fine specimen of clean-cut Mormon family entertainment, but it may also be a step in the wrong direction for the fledgling production company.

The Onion (A.V. Club) Nathan Rabin

Movies don't get much more wholesome and earnest than The Other Side Of Heaven, a handsomely mounted but empty-headed drama that attempts to do for fresh-faced Mormon missionaries what Top Gun did for cocky fighter pilots.

Los Angeles Times Jan Stuart

The whole trippy experience is like being held at gunpoint by a Jehovah's Witness at the front door while George Gobel holds forth in the living room on Nickelodeon.

Village Voice Ed Park

Strangely coy about its denominational allegiance.

Miami Herald Connie Ogle

The film is supposed to be about tolerance, but the only acceptance comes in terms of how the islanders accept the Mormon teachings. Somehow, that doesn't quite feel divine.

Chicago Reader Joshua Rothkopf

Suffers from suspense-killing righteousness.

The New York Times Stephen Holden

What sets this syrupy swatch of kitsch apart from other films peddling a dogmatic religious agenda is the serious money that obviously went into it.

The average user rating for this movie is 8.2 (out of 10) based on 55 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Howard Y. gave it a9:
I very much enjoyed this movie, as it DID provide wholesome family entertainment that refrained from the use of violence, sex, or profanity. However, I feel that I must point out to those who did not enjoy the movie, that this was not "Mormon" propaganda, as no one forced you to watch this, and that the film was intended, not limited to, but for Mormons. It was a film that was intended to tell a story about service and self-sacriice, not one of preachiness or "propaganda".

Salome K. gave it a10:
It was a wonderful movie but it makes me homesick for my Island.

Timothy S. gave it a10:
I thought this movie was more than preaching about LDS (mormon) view points; is a good old fashion movie about faith, hope and love and I think its to bad that the anti-mormon/christian media cannot accept a wholesom movie that is lacking in sex, violence and profanity.

john gave it a1:
Patronizing, obviously fictional bull!@#$. I agree with most of the real critics on this one.

Scott P. gave it a10:
How his feet were treated (medical) by the local Tongan people. was my favorite part. Then all he went through to get there, what faith he must of had to know all would work out.

Tongan N. gave it a0:
I was so angrey when at the funural on the movie the lady cried and creid then fliped over and asked " is the pudding ready." What do they think we are fat, unthoughtful people? This truly affected me and im only 13.

Gena S. gave it a10:
Fabulous movie, I laughed, cried, and throughly enjoyed every minute of this movie.

Other Side of Heaven, The Excel Entertainment

Other Side of Heaven, The
Excel Entertainment