HEAVEN
New Zealand, 1998, 106 minutes, Colour.
Martin Donovan, Danny Edwards, Richard Schiff, Joanna Going, Patrick Malahide, Karl Urban.
Directed by Scott Reynolds.
Heaven has been used in many films as the title by itself or as part of the title. The surprising use here is that it refers to a person, a singer and dancer in the New Zealand bar, a transvestite who wants to be a woman. Danny Edwards gives quite a convincing performance as Heaven.
The central character is an American, Robert, Martin Donovan, separated from his wife who is having an affair with his psychiatrist. They have a son. The wife is portrayed by Joanna Going and the psychiatrist, Patrick Malahide.
The New Zealand setting is not immediately evident, especially with several Americans in the cast. However, accents prevail and many audiences will realise where the film is set. Most of the action takes place at night, at a club, in rather dingy streets, as well as in homes, flats and the psychiatrist’s rooms.
The other significant feature of the film is its screenplay, with audiences having to concentrate because there are not only flashbacks but flashforwards, interrupting what seems to be straightforward narrative. This makes the film more interesting, as the audience has to work out the continuity of the actions of the characters, especially Robert and Heaven, interactions with Stanner (Schiff) and violence at the club. Also in the act is the bouncer, a friend of Heaven since school days, who wants to protect her and clashes with thugs at the door of the club as well as with Stan. This is an early role for Karl Urban.
The acting is one of the strengths of the film, Donovan more lively than in many other films, Schiff in an entirely opposite role from that in The West Wing.
An offbeat film, worth catching for those interested in such films as well as in films from New Zealand.
1. The title? The character? Club called ‘Paradise’? The ironies?
2. The New Zealand city, the homes, the clubs? Offices, law? The film both real and surreal?
3. The structure of the film? Direct narrative, flashbacks in, Heaven’s mind, visions and the future? The narrative going backwards and forwards? The effect on the audience, the complexity of the narrative?
4. The cast, and the number of Americans in New Zealand?
5. Heaven as a transvestite, working in the club, the other women, the prostitution, the clients? Stanner and his hold? Robert and his saving Heaven, the help when she was being attacked, her watching him being bashed? Their discussions, meals? The information? Her visions, the future, her telling Robert, the effect? Yet her wanting the visions to stop? The Doctor and his listening to Heaven, trying to get the information about the future? His approach to her, sexually, her being provocative, her taping him?
6. Robert, his experience, separation from his wife, love for his son, wanting custody? The separation? His drinking, at Stanner’s club, his gambling, his wife’s criticism? The work, the company? Heaven and the assault, bashed, hospital? His wife visiting? The phone calls? The outings with his son? The arguments, their meeting, in the lawyer’s office? Stanner and his threats? Heaven’s information, the tapes, the future? Heaven’s information about Stanner and his bluff in the game of cards, winning the money?
7. The character of the wife, her anger, Robert’s failures, her affair with the Doctor, the visits to the restaurant – paralleling those of Robert with her and with Heaven? The scene in the restaurant when Heaven realised what was going to happen and wanted to warn Robert and to leave?
8. The Doctor, his friendship, his clients, the affair with Robert’s wife, Heaven as a client, listening to her, his sexual approach? Her giving the box of tapes to Robert? His revealing them in the lawyer’s office, playing one of them? It’s being visualised? His upset, fearing ruin, killing himself in the car crash?
9. Stanner, the club, an American, women, gambling? His own games of cards, the bluffs? Robert and his vision, the tension, winning? Stanner and his brutality, towards Heaven, towards the bouncer, the fire and the thugs?
10. The bouncer, his friendship with Heaven, from the past, wanting to protect her?
11. The thugs, the approach to heaven, challenging the bouncer?
12. A slice of unhappy life?
