Heaven

Not much space is given to identify with the main characters and thus only a weak argument can be made against the film’s questionable moral aesthetic: never mind that you’re a murderer – as long as you are capable of love, you’re going to heaven. Tom Tykwer doesn’t deny it. Some of the scenes – e.g. the dialogue in the church, the camera circling the tree and the ending – are amazing. But in order for the film as a whole to be amazing, it would have to be longer, more detailed and better developed in the first half. A missed opportunity to make an exceptional film based on an exceptional subject. (01/16/2003)

The masterful psychological character study, for which Tykwer is known, delves into the deepest corners of the human soul, but this time it is somewhat hindered by the lack of a more substantial plot and a somewhat ambiguous moral resolution. The simple and often-told story of crime and punishment unfortunately becomes a rather detached affair in the second half, as the theme of guilt is completely sidelined and Tykwer focuses solely on the relationship between two very different individuals. It's masterful, but why hide the morality behind a beautiful camera and fantastic casting? That’s unfortunate. (12/23/2005)

The fact that Tom Tykwer is one of the most interesting (not only German) directors of this era is proven over and over in every scene of this movie. The long shots look better the higher they’ve been filmed from. The issue is that though Cate Blanchett and Giovanni Ribisi have good roles, it won’t save a movie that’s boring apart from the visuals and that drags on forever. And don’t even get me started on the ending. It complements the entire movie – in that it is empty and falls completely flat. (08/07/2018)

Tykwer on a dangerous path towards full-Malick. The romance here is at the same time improbable and unintentionally academically frosty, leaving only Tykwer's love of seemingly inconsequential details, his funny use of genre tropes (a hard-boiled Bullitt during the interrogation), and of course Griebe's reliable work behind the camera, which often makes the whole story seem bigger than it actually is. (11/14/2020)

Tom Tykwer has a knack for capturing intriguing human destinies, particularly from a human perspective. This film isn't an overly exaggerated action drama, although it could have been if produced in America. But it’s emphasis on the human experience makes it more engaging and emotionally resonant. (04/04/2017)