Genre: Comedy

Star Rating: 

Heaven Bound proves that you don’t need a big budget to make a great Christian film. With a well-written script, great casting choices, and a skilled director, the Heaven Bound crew was able to create a hilarious comedy that is fun and wholesome enough for the whole family. In fact, it was nominated for “Best Feature Film” at the 2017 Christian Worldview Film Festival.

Heaven Bound is the story of Ted, a successful businessman working in the stressful world of gourmet dog food. When the company spokesdog, Mr. Mitsky, undergoes a tragic accident at the hands of Ted, Ted and his wife, Josie, find themselves in a whole lot of financial trouble and without a lot of friends. Desperate to dig themselves out of debt, the two decide to burglarize a wealthy home. The only problem is, the home is owned by a Christian who refuses to let them leave until they accept Jesus Christ as their Savior. Heaven Bound stars Michael Joiner (The Grace Card, The Matchbreaker), Nancy Stafford (Matlock, A Mermaid’s Tale), Dany Vinson (Walk the Line, Leatherheads), and Torry Martin (Boxed Lunch, The Matchbreaker).

If I’m being completely honest, I began watching the movie with the expectation that I was in store for a super cheesy film that reeked of a budget the size of my piggy bank. The opening sequence didn’t help deter those thoughts, as the characters showed us how happy they were through movements that were on the verge of mime.  However, as the movie went on, the characters became more realistic and I suddenly found the humor of that frightening opener.

Pretty soon, I was absorbed into the lives of these characters and laughing out loud at jokes that were not only funny, but original! In an era of movie remakes, an original thought shines as bright as a diamond. This movie had enough original thoughts to create a tiara.

Now, I’m not going to say that absolutely everyone will find this movie hilarious, because comedy is subjective and dependent on one’s own sense of humor. But even if this film isn’t your style of comedy, there are still plenty other moments that will make you glad you watched. There are several great Christian messages made throughout the film as well as some truly heartfelt moments. Of course, if that isn’t enough for you, there are also a couple action sequences thrown in for the adrenaline junkies in your family.

Heaven Bound is available for free streaming on Amazon Prime and Pure Flix.

WHAT AGE GROUP IS IT FOR?

I give this film a PG rating. In general, it is suitable for all ages and has enough physical humor to entertain both children and adults. However, there is some light violence, the use of a gun (although nobody dies), and one of the main story points revolves around the death of a dog (though the death is not explicitly shown). Just bear that in mind when deciding if it is right for your family.

LOOKING TO SHOW IT AT CHURCH?

This would be a fun movie to show at a church sleepover; especially since the burglars in the story have (in a way) a sleepover at their target’s home. The movie focuses on redemption, making the right choices, evangelism, and prioritizing what is important (not financial security).