The Five People You Meet in Heaven (2004)

The Five People You Meet in Heaven is a Hallmark movie but a very good Hallmark movie. Its feel and star performances fall somewhere between Jon Voigt in John Paul II or Harris Malcolm in Fireproof and James Garner in The Ultimate Gift or James Garner and Ryan Gosling in The Notebook. The Five People is a didactic, reflective movie with more visiting spirits than A Christmas Carol and more self-revelations than Hereafter. It is more plodding than What Dreams May Come (a high bar indeed) though still mostly light on its feet; it felt draggy in the middle and could possibly lose 13 minutes (from its 2 hours and 13 minutes) without detriment to the story. As our story begins, Jon Voigt as the tragically killed Eddie sojourns posthumously, meeting five prior decedents who have been awaiting him in various forms of their own heaven (not always apparent to him) so that they may find resolution with him and help him find his own (often for things or in ways he didn't know he needed). Eddie's life, character, actions, and choices are the focus here, with numerous revelations about his and others' motives that shed new light for Eddie on his life and his responsibility for others' lives. Occasionally melodramatic, The Five People is a largely captivating tale of self-examination and redemption that's more reminiscent of Dragonfly than It's A Wonderful Life. I was often moved by the revelations in Eddie's journey and certainly by its culmination. I'd love to watch it again sometime. 4.5 stars.