Midway to Heaven (2011)

Why so much hype?

ridiculous rating

For all the hype it got I was expecting a lot more!

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

My husband & I watched this last night and were debating tonight whether it was the worst movie we have ever seen. And we even accept and love some of the worst Christian local-church-made movies. We've seen worse acting, but not too many times. We've seen worse story lines...wait a minute, this really didn't have a story line. Our belief is that someone lost a spouse, wrote about losing the spouse, and had enough money to then turn his book into a movie. Because no one with pride in his or her (movie-making) craft would pick this up to turn it into a movie. It may help widows and widowers get past some difficulties, but...it is not for general consumption on what you hope to be an entertaining or deep-thinking movie night. My husband wants me to add, "The scenery was pretty."

Nice story line of a difficult season in the life of any man. Great sense of pace, script and relationship building. Happy banter with moments of seriousness.Worth watching because it shared real people with real issues with a serious faith perspective. Dialog was realistic and had depth beyond just a message movie. The actors were natural and not forced. The casting was done nicely, including the paperboy and the pastor scenes.The location shots were spectacular and made you want to visit. Lots of hometown charm.My wife and I enjoyed it fully. Great entertainment.

Ned (Curt Doussett) is a widower who is having a hard time letting go. He still holds imaginary conversations with his deceased wife, Kate (Melanie Nelson). Having a lovely daughter, Liz (Brittany Peltier) in college, Ned focuses on her and maintaining his nice home in Midway, a mountainous abode. Women are not on his mind, even though he often sees a beautiful lady, Carol (Michelle Money) when he is out jogging. But, things are about to change! Liz suddenly announces that she is bringing a friend home for a weekend and, unknown to Ned, its a guy! He's David (Kirby Heybourne) and Ned's nose gets out of joint almost immediately. Despite the fact that David is a very nice, intelligent, and respectful man, Ned gives him an inquisition almost every minute that passes. What is truly going on? Well, its clear that Liz is finding romance and moving past her mother's death while Ned is still treading water. Is it time for him to release his pain and start again? This is a lovely film, made with a subtle Christian theme. It is also very funny, with dialogue that will make most everyone laugh out loud. Watching Ned decide what to wear on his first date in ages is so comic! The cast is wonderful and very attractive, with Doussett a great leading man. Hopefully, we older gals will see more of him. Also, the setting is gorgeous, making one want to spend some vacation time in the same spot. Finally, the direction keeps the action going and delivers big laughs and sensitive moments. If you love romance but desire a movie that has good values, also, you should not WAIT a minute more. Get Heaven is Waiting very soon.

"Midway to Heaven" has a better than average story line setting up some very touching and humorous moments that most any audience looking for a thoughtful, romantic story should be able to identify with. The challenge of letting go of a deep relationship in order to move forward in life is handled, for the most part, very skillfully by Michael Flynn in his debut behind the camera as a director. All of the main actors sparkle in their roles, making you care about the challenges they are facing. While there are many funny moments to relish, it is the touching moments that make this a better than average romantic film. The music, scripting (from Dean Hughes novel), photography and music all blend well to make the film work. The beautiful Utah scenery of small towns is also a great asset. This is a film worthy of seeing in a theatre if you are fortunate enough to live in an area where it will be screened. It's one that I will look forward to purchasing on DVD later.