A fine cast headed by the underrated Greg Kinnear lifts this year’s third major religious movie, the fact-inspired “Heaven Is for Real,’’ somewhat beyond its Hallmark Channel-caliber script and visuals.
In his first major-studio lead since “Flash of Genius’’ (2008), Kinnear injects much-needed humor and astringency into his role as Todd Burpo, a Nebraska pastor whose faith is tested when his 4-year-old son, Colton (Connor Corum), nearly dies from a burst appendix in 2003.
After his miraculous recovery, Colton claims to have visited heaven, seen Jesus and angels — and had conversations with long-dead relatives (including a stillborn sister) he didn’t even know existed.
Skeptical at first — his encounter with a psychologist is easily the shakiest in the movie — Todd not only comes to believes his son’s story, he goes public with it.
This generates a lot of publicity, which makes some members of his congregation uncomfortable.
Even his closest friends, a couple played very well by Margo Martindale (“August: Osage County’’) and Thomas Haden Church (“Sideways’’), wonder if he’s lost it and should be replaced at the church.
Although based on a best-selling book by Burpo and co-produced by megachurch mogul the Rev. T.D. Jakes, “Heaven Is for Real’’ is blessedly free of sanctimony — even mildly suggesting there’s a downside to believing in hell and eternal damnation.
Director Randall Wallace, who also co-wrote the script, is not known for his light touch — he did the screenplay for “Braveheart,’’ and his directorial rap sheet includes “We Were Soldiers’’ and the lachrymose “Secretariat.’’
But Kinnear and English actress Kelly Reilly (of the Robert Downey “Sherlock Holmes” films), who plays patient Burpo’s wife, manage to depict a family in financial and spiritual crisis with some subtlety despite dialogue that’s often way too on-the-nose.
Wallace seems to be going for a “Field of Dreams’’ vibe, but the film’s endless Midwestern prairie vistas are way too visually bland for that. A framing story involving a painter doesn’t work at all. And the film’s brief glimpse of heaven and angels (with a backlit Jesus) is laughably cheesy.
This agnostic thinks the makers of “Heaven Is for Real’’ should have had the faith to let audiences decide whether little Colton is telling the truth about his near-death experience without resorting to the digital equivalent of dry ice.