After seeing two of this weeks other not-so-happy releases 'Rabbit Hole' and 'Brighton Rock' back-to-back I was looking forward to a bit-of-fluff rom-com but bloody hell that is not what I got. I don't know if it's because of the overly happy looking marketing or the lack of overall promotion but the people behind 'A Little Bit of Heaven' have kept it quiet for a reason, granted it's pretty funny but really depressing. Tears started falling about 20mins in and didn't stop until after I got home. I complained the other day that Kate Hudson never seems to do anything with substance these days I take it all back now. Her heartfelt and convincing portrayal of Marley Corbett a young 30- something with a successful career, great mates and who seems to have it all figured out certainly has substance. Marley admits she can be a bit of a slut, she's aware that she lives more like a 20-something and she doesn't care. Until one day it all falls apart – she's told she's got cancer of the colon (there are a few unnecessary medical scenes involving a colonoscopy. and those who have needle phobia – take a scarf to hide behind) and that it's not curable. After a quick visit upstairs to see God , (this time not Alanis Morissette or Morgan Freeman but instead we have Whoopi Goldberg taking on the job) Marley suddenly realises that she needs to change her priorities and as could only happen in movie world or in an episode of ER, in walks a dashing Dr (Bernal), a man who couldn't tell a joke if his mother's life depended on it who finds Marley's overwhelming but fun personality intoxicating and infectious. Not the usual boy meets girl story but it works – sorta and so a romance blossoms despite the fact that she's a dying woman. A tad sick? Yes but go with it. The rest of the film is Marley rapidly changing and getting more ill, now it's not as depressing as 'My Sister's Keeper' but it's not far off. When Queen Latifah took a stab at playing a woman with the big c she went on an extravagant holiday and it was all pretty annoying. Kate's film is more honest and as we watch her friends and family rally round her (even ordering her a mini-hooker in the form of Peter Dinklage to lift her spirits)) and help as you would expect in normal life you actually care about her awful situation. The casting at first seems odd, Gael García Bernal already proved that he doesn't act romance well in 'Letters to Juliet' so why try again here? Kathy Bates is great as always and Lucy Punch as the mad-cap friend (no change there then) is a nice compliment to Hudson.
It's a thoughtful and thought provoking film, anyone with a heart will leave the cinema wanting to tell their friends that they love them. Just take tissues.
It's a thoughtful and thought provoking film, anyone with a heart will leave the cinema wanting to tell their friends that they love them. Just take tissues.