A Little Bit of Heaven

Okay, I'm a male and a cancer survivor. This looked like an interesting movie, albeit a "chick flick," but once I started watching I got completely hooked. Yes, the subject of cancer is again given the Hollywood-style treatment (no makeup, just a sallow look, and A FULL HEAD OF HAIR! Guess the filmmakers thought a bald actress wouldn't look so good in love scenes; also, I wish I had experienced the minor discomfort she does during chemo treatments, not to mention how energetic our heroine is when most of us feel like we're lucky to be able to just stand up). But all that aside, it was a beautiful movie message-wise, and after only seeing Kate Hudson in her first role many years ago in Cameron Crowe's "Almost Famous" (and not being that impressed by her), she has certainly matured as an actress. There were two or three scenes that really hit home to me and I could understand exactly what she was feeling at the time. I don't remember seeing this opening in theaters here in San Francisco, and if it did, it didn't play very long, which is a shame; I hope this isn't another film that's gone direct to video. "A Little Bit of Heaven" is about tying up loose ends, little by little, and realizing, finally, that life is a gift and to be celebrated in the short time we're all here. Don't deny yourself the chance to see this movie.

Marley Corbett (Kate Hudson) is a strictly-single ad executive in New Orleans. She avoids any real commitments with her hookups. Her best friends are co-worker Sarah Walker (Lucy Punch), pregnant Renee Blair (Rosemarie DeWitt) and gay neighbor Peter Cooper (Romany Malco). She feels sick and goes to see Dr. Julian Goldstein (Gael García Bernal). While under, she sees God (Whoopi Goldberg) who gives her three wishes. She wishes to fly, $1 million and something for later. She has late stage colon cancer. Her parents Beverly (Kathy Bates) and Jack (Treat Williams) can't stop fighting even with their daughter sick. She wins a radio contest to learn hang gliding. Dr. Sanders (Alan Dale) tells her that chemo isn't working and she goes on a medical trial. She finally tells her boss Rob Randolf (Steven Weber) and he tells her about a million dollar payout from the life insurance. Peter sets her up with gigolo escort Vinnie (Peter Dinklage) nicknamed Little Bit of Heaven.

Is it really a bad thing to cross a cutesy rom-com with cancer? The critics seem to think so. I don't judge it like that. This is by no means perfect. Whoopi Goldberg as God is distracting as hell. Gael García Bernal is not fully committed to being a bad English speaker. He should really throw in a lot of Spanish. Kate Hudson is at home with these silly rom-coms. Her flightiness is more of a defense mechanism so I don't really take it as cutesy. The cancer stuff allows the movie to transition to heartfelt seriousness although it's very jarring sometimes. The tone is a tricky thing in this movie and it does struggle. However I don't mind treating cancer with a lighter tone.

What made this film a winner, is the appearance of Peter Dinklage, who recently picked up an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for Game of Thrones, and whose character provided the name of this film, which of course puns on his physical size. Playing a social escort who got his services engaged for Kate Hudson's Marley Corbett, his support role was indeed one of the highlights of the film, coming in from the blue and serving up some great lines and moments, making a much welcomed lift for the story.

Which the trailer would have told you everything you needed to know from start to end, with Marley being a successful career woman who is climbing the corporate ladder with a zilch love life, but is soon cut down unfairly to size by Fate who had dealt her the disease hand. With cancer (colon, not very often mentioned on screen) treatment she meets her doctor Julian Goldstein (Gael Garcia Bernal) from Mexico, and tossing doctor-patient relationships out of the window, they spend an incredible amount of lovely time together even if both knows about their short lived romance should she choose to reject treatment, or if the disease would get the better of her. Whoopi Goldberg plays God, who grants her three wishes, two of which were used rather carelessly, though of no fault of the bubbly one given initial skepticism.

This film was ballsy in a number of ways, chief of which is in its treatment of a story about death without shirking from the nasty details of anticipation, and the inevitable execution. Many Hollywood films tend to cop out at the very last minute, but this one tackled it with a lot of dignity, and proved that one doesn't have to always compromise to do what gets reflected in real life. That, and Kate Hudson showing a lot of nerve in many scenes almost sans makeup, looking quite ghastly and pale as the story called for it. Written by Gren Wells, it's more about how one should approach life when given a death sentence, with the romance angle taking a back seat despite marketeers' efforts to skew this into a romantic comedy.

Which is not surprising since it's a film helmed by Nicole Kassell, whose previous film was the dark and brooding The Woodsman starring Kevin Bacon. A Little Bit of Heaven does steer toward a darker feel, although with some light at the end of the tunnel through overcoming challenges in difficult family relationships, and the maintaining of both established ones with good friends, and new romantic ones formed. Kate Hudson may be typecast for roles that may involve the devil may care attitude, and this one provides that opportunity for her to show off a little bit of dramatic acting chops. Gael Garcia Bernal though was relatively bland given his Doctor role, although does get some of the best lines in flubbing many jokes when the script called for it. Both leads share a nice chemistry although most of their romancing were reduced to a montage, leaving room for more of Kate Hudson and Kathy Bates to share some mother-daughter time, and that between Hudson and Lucy Punch playing her best friend and one of many close confidantes.

And in some ways this film made me think a little bit more about mortality, if one were to be struck by a serious illness which was detected late and the treatment really being a bitch, would you want to go ahead with trying to get cured, or to live whatever is left to the fullest? My choice will likely be the latter, although why not make the best of life with each day instead?

Okay, I have read the other reviews of this movie, and I must say, I think the women are much more on base than the men. I believe the other men who have reviewed this, have some issues with what the world calls a chick flick... A Little Bit of Heaven, in my opinion as man, was actually the perfect blend of humor and drama, Kate Hudson's finest work that I have seen to date. Its a story of an individuals ups and downs of coping with death at a very young age. I felt this movie showed both the attempts to stay positive an upbeat as well as what I am sure happens, the anger to the people around you. For the reviews who gave this anything less than 6 minimum, but then rate "The Other Guys" a perfect 10, shows you they are just shallow. I am a father of 4 daughters, and can't imagine what it would of be like to go through something like this. I would recommend this movie to all, minus the men, who think they are too cool or tough to show a little emotion, as this movie in my opinion will bring tears to anyone...

"I have cancer...who wants desert." Marley Corbett (Hudson) is a young and fiery ad executive. She has everything going for her. Great friends and a personal life that she is OK with. After a visit to the doctor changes her life she decides that a change to her personal life is needed, fast. Without trying to give too much away I have to say the preview was misleading (to me anyway). I was expecting a comedy along the lines of "50/50". While this did have some funny moments in this it is much more of an emotional movie then I expected. I don't want you to misunderstand me on this because this was a very good movie and I enjoyed it quite a bit, but don't go in expecting to laugh as much as you did at "50/50". I would compare this more to the TV show "Big C". The movie is good and definitely worth watching but this is more of a love story then I expected as well. Not to sound morbid, but I would call "50/50" more of a guy's cancer movie while this one is more of a chick flick. Both are good but I liked "50/50" more. Overall, funny and emotional and very much worth watching. I give it a B+.