A Little Trip to Heaven

I love the characters that Forest Whitaker usually portrays in his movies: soft einzelgangers who are balancing on the thin line between good and evil. In this flick he's playing an agent for an insurance company who tries to dodge off the claims of their clients. He does a pretty swell job, scrupulous and efficient. But then he stumbles upon a messed up couple who are trying to file a claim over a dead brother. Our protagonist feels that there is something wrong, and he dives in the lives of the two to find any sleaze and dirt. And, as expected , he does find something that can stir things up.

This movie reminded me of ''Fargo'' and '' A simple plan ''. Like in those flicks, ''A little trip...'' deals with the brutalities that people will do to each other out of pure greed. It's also about the cruel way of thinking that a life insurance can make up for the loss of a human life, and how insurance companies like you to believe that. It's a modern film noir with an excellent cast, a beautiful soundtrack and atmospheric sequences in the rain or snow. Maybe the tone is a bit too sad and nihilistic for the big crowd, it definitely deserves more than the meager 6 it's receiving here.

This movie shows what's great about film festivals. So many movies, and they're not tied down to every Hollywood cliché in the book.

The way Little Trip plays out is hard to describe. Forest Whitaker plays an insurance investigator, a company man. He comes to know Julia Stiles' character, a vulnerable housewife living with an unpredictable screw-up (Renner) on barren tundra.

The relationship between Stiles & Renner was intricate yet believable. And the relationship between Stiles & Whitaker is surprising. I didn't see the ending coming, which I appreciate always. I'm so tired of formulaic thrillers. This movie reminded me of movies from the 70's - the good old days when every plot point wasn't spoon fed. It has style and feeling like classics from that time too.

This was an intriguing, although not satisfying,, movie and one I still felt was worth my few bucks I paid to rent it.

It was filmed in Iceland - one of the few films I've heard of with that locale - but the story in the film takes place somewhere in Midwestern America. I knew that going in, so it made it kind of strange to view, in that respect. However, the story seemed very realistic. In parts, it almost felt like a documentary, it was so real and atmospheric.

However, as much as I enjoyed the movie, and particularly Forest Whitaker with his odd accent, the ending was a big disappointment. The film had so much promise up until then.

Some people say this film had the feel of a Coen Brothers movie, and I agree with that. To some, this might also have been a bit slow or boring but I thought it had unique atmosphere to it. With a more satisfying ending, I would have bought the DVD and watched it several more times.

I got a chance to see this film in Toronto and I have to admit I've been thinking a lot about it since. Visually, it's so beautiful... and yet stark and haunting (apparently it was filmed in Iceland). But what I really found engaging was that it was a noir-esquire mystery but with a very realistic feel. When opportunities present themselves for the film to go down a formulaic road, it doesn't. There's something strangely real about the film, from the first-rate acting, to the dark tone, to the deliberate pace... I think the director's decision to give this film dramatic weight will set it apart from other mystery/thrillers (I feel weird even trying to categorize it). Maybe it's just me, but I can't stop thinking about it.

After a suspicious fatal car accident in Hastings where the identity of the victim was forged, the Quality Life insurance company sends their smart investigator Abe Holt (Forrest Whitaker) to identify the body. The unique beneficiary of the one million dollars death benefit is the sister of the victim, Isold (Julia Stiles), who lives with her son Thor and her husband Fred (Jeremy Renner) in a poor cabin in the middle of nowhere. Along the investigation, Abe discloses the truth about the fraud, but feels sorry for Isold and Thor and tries to help them with tragic consequences.

"Little Trip to Heaven" has a good premise, showing both sides of the insurance policies, with some fraudulent cases of clients and questionable procedures of the companies themselves. The story is good, with a suspenseful atmosphere in a dramatic and tense situation. In spite of the very disappointing conclusion, this movie worth watching. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "A Fraude" ("The Fraud")