Heaven's Prisoners (1996)

User Rating:

5.4/10   

Director:

Phil Joanou

Writers (WGA):

James Lee Burke (novel)
Harley Peyton (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

17 May 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

For an ex-cop obsessed with an unsolved murder, trusting the wrong woman could be a deadly choice.

Plot:

Ex-detective Dave Robicheaux has made a new life for himself and his wife Annie running a bait shop in the outskirts of New Orleans...

Plot Keywords:

Stripper | Airplane Accident | Ex Cop | Tattoo | Fishing Boat

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Alec Baldwin	...	Dave Robicheaux
Kelly Lynch	...	Annie Robicheaux
Mary Stuart Masterson	...	Robin Gaddis
Eric Roberts	...	Bubba Rocque
Teri Hatcher	...	Claudette Rocque
Vondie Curtis-Hall	...	Minos P. Dautrieve (as Vondie Curtis Hall)
Badja Djola	...	Batist
Samantha Lagpacan	...	Alafair
Joe Viterelli	...	Didi Giancano
Tuck Milligan	...	Jerry Falgout
Hawthorne James	...	Victor Romero
Don Stark	...	Eddie Keats
Carl A. McGee	...	Toot
Paul Guilfoyle	...	Det. Magelli
Chris Krisea	...	Priest

MPAA:

Rated R for strong violence and language, and for some nudity.

Runtime:

132 min | Canada:135 min (Ontario)

Country:

USA | UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Canada:14A (Ontario) | Iceland:16 | Netherlands:16 | USA:R (certificate #33929) | South Korea:18 | Philippines:R-18 | Australia:MA | Finland:K-16 | Germany:16 | Norway:15 | Portugal:M/16 | Spain:18 | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Louisiana, USA

Company:

New Line Cinema

Goofs:

Continuity: When Robin Gaddis sits at the bar answering Robicheaux's questions she has a drink with spear of fruit. In some of the shots, the spear has an orange slice and two cherries, in other shots, an orange slice and one cherry (and no, she doesn't eat one of the cherries).

Quotes:

[last lines]
Dave Robicheaux: Good luck, Bubba.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Showbiz Today: (1996-05-14)" (1996)

Soundtrack:

Baby Bee

I beg to differ

I thought the opening scene was one of the best movie openings I've ever watched - beautifully written and sensitively played.

Drawn in from the outset, I was happy to watch the plot unfold. Yes, it could be argued that the main protagonist brings his troubles upon himself but that is hardly a plot fault - some people do.

Problems with the film? I don't know why an actress of Mary Stuart Masterson's caliber should take on such a nothing role. And the plane crash looked cheap and unconvincing. Otherwise, I have no complaints. I love the books and I thoroughly enjoyed the film.

I have read the previous reviews which seem to be critical for the most part and I am left wondering why they are so. I've watched a lot of rotten films and this certainly isn't one of them. I give it an eight out of ten. I enjoyed it.