Review of A Little Bit of Heaven (2011) by Hatem M — 13 May 2012

A Little Bit of Heaven is one of the more awkward movies I have watched recently as it unsuccessfuly tries to be both a tear-jerker and a romantic comedy at the same time (it wants to be like the much-superior 50/50 .

.. and the not-measuring-up-to-that fail is EPIC!). A halo circles part of the word heaven on the movie poster and so to say this is a film about one's brush with death isn't much of a spoiler and it makes that poster a lame gimmick (also at least 50/50's Joseph Gordon Levitt took a few measure to look sick .

.. and not so here). Thinking this to be inspired, the director must have thought it'd be ingenius to have Whoopi Goldberg play "God" while playing herself in the film (not so ... and so massive groan).

This is also the type of film that features dialogue such as "I want to put the F U N back in funeral!" If that line didn't make you rush-off to vomit, maybe Heaven will be suitable watch! Kate Hudson (Almost Famous, How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days) plays Marley Corbett, a New Orleans-based advertising executive who appears to have several friends (Lucy Punch - Dinner for Schmucks / Rosemarie DeWitt - Rachel Getting Married / Romany Malco - Blades of Glory) even though her character is horrible and unlikeable.

Most of the comedic dialogue is either un-funny or forced; and there are no real tears being produced because the main character is such a JERK which makes "tear-jerker" half-right. The romantic subplot comes about as Marley comes down with an illness and she finds herself attracted to her young and nice-looking doctor (Gael Garcia Bernal).

Her illness is supposed to be life-changing for the two of them; but the film has a very hard time working as Marley finds herself to be quite angry a lot of the time (rude, hateful etc.) and I doubted a new relationship would ever blossom under the circumstances the film presents and that the film "makes it work" ruins everything.

There is nothing really good here except for a few of scenes featuring DeWitt as Marley's pregnant friend and an odd-scene with "a Little Bit of Heaven" Peter Dinklage (wh-what?!). Watching this might be painful than Marley's illness .

.. if I had to watch this again I'd be paging Dr. Death.