Too many fans seem to be blown away

Please don't spend money on this.

Blending excellent reporting and strong storytelling, this is a disturbing film truly stranger than fiction

It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny

I don't get the negative reviews. I know this film isn't for everyone, it's kind of slow moving and depressing. I think it does however give an excellent portrayal of a young woman in a lot of pain. You have to feel so sorry for her, she's just lost. She's sad and sex is exactly how a lot of people deal with these feelings. Hannah Hoekstra does an amazing job portraying this character though she may be a little too pretty for the role, not that attractive people can't be sad too. I think the nudity is not gratuitous at all, it helps define the character. If you haven't seen Hemel, give it a chance.

Sacha Polak's first feature is a work of almost infinite subtlety. Working from a first-class screenplay, she has created a gem. Beautifully filmed and anchored by a riveting lead performance by Hannah Hoekstra, this is a deeply nuanced look at one woman's struggle towards adulthood, seen through the prism of her relationship with her father and various lovers. Hoekstra reminds me of Nina Hoss but whereas Hoss' performances can feel cold, shutting us out of her feelings, here we sense every bit of Hoekstra's pain. The haunting soundtrack adds rather than distracts and at 80 minutes, the film feels as rich and densely textured as anything I've seen. Wonderful.

Here is a psychological quality movie with razor sharp and often funny quotes, although there is not a huge amount of conversations in it. The storyline starts with daughter 'Hemel' who devours men. How do you detach from your parents. It is a movie that slowly crawls under your skin and makes you feel. And feel the pain. The movie contains strong intense screen shots and subtle supporting sounds/music combined with a layered story that is blended in a way of rare beauty. What starts as an apparent superficial movie (a dutch and very explicit, but not too shocking start), slowly unravels in questions of how do you detach from your parents, which tecniques do you use to be loved, do you hurt or get hurt, life and death, do you get enough attention and do you "miss the bus". The sex is more or less something that you have to look through to see what the movie really is about. Telling the story would spoil a lot of it, so my advice would be go and feel that movie.

I saw this hell called Heaven on the Sneak Preview of The International Film Festival Rotterdam. The film is completely funded by funds. The same funds who are shortened in the Netherlands due to the Economic situation. After watching this movie you might say: Hallelujah... In the late seventies and eighties the Dutch films became famous by their on the edgy tone of voice, lots of nudity and because of Paul Verhoevens way of directing. ( and a few others) In those days remarkable stuff. A film like Spetters was a disgrace for the professional reviewers, but the public loved it, a new phenomenon was born. Movies like Turkish Fruit and 'Spetters became with the years more popular, The Dutch Cinema had his own face.Sharp as a knife, tolerant and edgy.On the International Filmfestival Rotterdam, in years the worst festival in film offers, selected Heaven as a sneak preview. Heaven is definitely the worst movie i completely watched in years. It;s a real hell!All those Dutchies ingredients from the eighties were brought in and yes of course after a minute the first sexual brutality was shown on the screen. I don't have any problem with that as long as it has a function. It becomes annoying if you have the feeling its' done to provoke or to make money. This film is empty, has beside of a good leading role a terrible, monotone Hans Dagelet in a leading role.. The tone of the film is nasty, negative and full of.. eh nothing.. The director was more thinking about making from a cinematographic point of view nice shots, than thinking about the content of this movieBiggest problem is that you don't want to leave the film, waiting for the unexpected which makes this film worth watching. In the beginning of the film the future ex of Hans Dagelet tells the leading lady in the movie that she keeps everybody on a distance or is difficult to look into. Excuse my English, but i think you got my point. From that moment on that is the question to be answered. Well people, i can tell you without giving away the story that this will never happen. SaSafe your money in your pocket, you will probably find this movie in you 1 euro box somewhere at a Gas station. But it to give away to your biggest enemy... it will definitely hit her or him.IFF shame on you....