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The Vow

A saccharine and paint-by-numbers slice of romance, which is largely boosted by the appeal of its two leads.

Star Wars: Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace (3D)

The under-utilised 3D adds little to this prequel, which only serves as a sore reminder of the brilliance of the original films.

Any Questions For Ben?

The talented bunch of actors ably cut through the surface gloss, but it’s tough to remain invested in the plight of the self-absorbed lead.

Shame

It starts off as brutal but arresting stuff, and the two lead performances are scorching, but disappointingly dissolves into a case of tragedy for the sake of tragedy.

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Being In Heaven (Film)

by Annette Basile | January 25, 2010 14:30 | Edited January 25, 2010 14:32

Un-engaging repetitive self-help lecture is more mind-numbing infomercial than movie.

Being In Heaven is a self-help lecture masquerading as a movie. It begins in New York but soon shifts to Sydney where Jason (Daniel Whyte), a down-on-his-luck stockbroker, lands a magazine assignment interviewing New Age author Michael (writer/director/self-helper Michael Domeyko Rowland basically playing himself).

 

They meet in a restaurant where the $10 special is "enlightenment" and the staff give Jason knowing looks - they're all seemingly in on the secret of reality. From here, the film focuses entirely on Jason and Michael's conversation.

 

If this sounds like a familiar scenario, it is; Rowland was inspired by Louis Malle's 1981 gem My Dinner With Andre. While Malle's atmospheric film centred on a genuine (non-New Age) dialogue, Being in Heaven is really just a monologue, with Jason throwing Michael a series of Dorothy Dixers.

Jason, who doesn't have a voice recorder and scarcely bothers to take interview notes, is only initially resistant before giving in to Michael's talk about creating your own reality with your thoughts. Irrespective of the validity of the ideas, it gets mind-numbingly repetitive and airy fairy - even to a sympathetic viewer.

 

Whyte, a martial arts expert who's worked mainly on Australian TV and Hong Kong cinema, does what he can. But Rowland, a self-help lecturer on and off screen, is unengaging.

 

He's worked behind-the-scenes on films like the Aussie classic Wake In Fright, and aided by Muriel's Wedding cinematographer Martin McGrath, has made a fairly handsome-looking low-budget film, especially in the few non-restaurant scenes.

 

Yet there's no ambiance. It feels like an infomercial - you half expect Michael to turn to the camera and start plugging his book (and Rowland has written one, Absolute Happiness).

There may be the odd idea that stays on your mind, but if Rowland has access to the higher power within, he didn't use it while making this film.