Hammerman Ikon

Hammerman Ikon Film Guide

Five Minutes of Heaven
2009
**½
Director: Oliver Hirschbiegel
Cast: Liam Neeson, James Nesbitt, Anamaria Marinca, Niamh Cusack, Mark Davison, Kevin O'Neill, Diarmuid Noyes

In 1975, a 17-year-old UVF recruit shot a young catholic man in Belfast in front of the victim's younger brother. Now 33 years later the two are to meet again in front of TV cameras. Guy Hibbert's screenplay mixes fact and fiction to create a drama about breaking the cycle of revenge and violence. The message of forgiveness and reconciliation is worthy, but the film is somewhat clunky and stagy, and way too neatly wrapped up. The two leading performances are strong, although James Nesbitt's jittery turn seems a bit out of place.