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List Price: $9.98 | | Label: New Line Home Video
Salesrank: 24019
Released: October 7, 2003 |
| Our Price: $3.50 |
| Used Price: $2.82 |
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MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
A Vietnam vet/ex-detective leaves New Orleans with his wife for a quieter life in Louisiana's bayou. However, a plane crash on the Gulf gets him involved in the world of murder and deception.
Description of Heaven's Prisoners:
When he emerged from film school in the mid-1980s, director Phil Joanou was touted as the next Steven Spielberg, perhaps because Spielberg took him on as a protégé briefly. Since then, it's been "Phil who?" thanks to a series of mediocre thrillers like this one. Based on one of a series of novels by James Lee Burke about a troubled ex-cop named Dave Robicheaux, this film sat on the shelf for a couple of years before finally being released in 1995. Alec Baldwin plays Robicheaux, a recovering alcoholic who has put life on the New Orleans police department behind him--until a plane crashes in the lake next to his house. He rescues a young Central American girl from the wreck and adopts her--and winds up involved in a gumbo of drug running and dirty dealing involving an old pal named Bubba. Tip-off that this movie should have gone straight to video: Bubba is played by Eric Roberts. Redeeming feature (at least for men, who are all dogs, as everyone knows): a Teri Hatcher nude scene. --Marshall Fine
Heaven's Prisoners Reviews:
Slimbean says: 
2008-09-07 - Excellent adaptation from the superb novel by James Lee Burke. The novel is the second one published (1988) about main character Dave Robicheux. Alec Baldwin as Dave positively nails the complex, achingly human character. If you saw the movie but never read the book, treat yourself by reading the book now, and then watch the movie again. Without exception, all actors cast in the movie accurately reflect their respective characters in the book. I'd love to see a movie version of "Tin Roof Blowdown," published in 2007.
This New Orleans movie is about atmosphere, not plot 
2008-02-04 - Ever since "Streetcar Named Desire" New Orleans has been a very popular movie location, but this was one of the lesser efforts. This film has some strong points--good Louisiana atmosphere, good performances and good action--but the positives are at least balanced, and probably outweighed, by its negatives, to wit, slow pacing and a plot that makes no sense.
Alec Baldwin plays a retired New Orleans cop who has moved out to the bayou with his wife. While they are out on their boat, a plane crashes, and the Baldwin character saves a little girl who was on the plane. Four adults did not survive. They decide they want to keep the girl. A DEA agent comes out to the house and asks about one of the adults who died in the crash. Then, inexplicably, violence begins and quickly escalates ito brutal murders. Why? I have no idea. None of it makes any sense. The movie should have been callled "Prisoners of senseless violence." Maybe there was a rational motivation in the novels.
There is a brief nude scene with Teri Hatcher, but no sex with anyone. Strange.
great movie
2007-05-28 - If you like Alec Baldwin, you'll like this movie. His acting is some of his best. Also a good performance by Eric Roberts. I would have to call this a mystery, not a thriller. I found it a very enjoyable action-mystery movie. A great "popcorn movie", one that is good entertainment on those rainy afternoons when there is nothing else to do.
amazon is heaven 
2007-05-18 - I had been searching for this movie on DVD and none of our local stores carried this movie. So I thought let me see if Amazon had it they did and I scheduled a movie party on the weekend after Amazon said we would have. We received the movie earlier than expected. Thank you Amazon
Heaven's Gooney Birds 
2007-03-16 - Alec Baldwin's DAVE RICHLEAU is a travesty. The entire film is too dark and the "f" word is used with every breath, lending nothing to what was a very good book. I wasted my money on this rag.
