"Only the best people fight against all obstacles in pursuit of happiness" (Heavenly Creatures (DVD))

Member Name: mmintfresh

Product:	Heavenly Creatures (DVD)
Date:	17/08/02 (116 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Performances, Directing and writing, good film

Disadvantages: May be slow for some

Heavenly Creatures is the true story of two teenage girls who brutally murdered one of their mothers in 1952. The film is set in New Zealand and focuses on the events leading up to the murder.
Pauline Parker (Melanie Lynskey) is a quiet New Zealand teenager. She is a dreamer and also an outsider. One day a new girl comes to her school. She is an outspoken British girl who goes by the name of Juliet Hulme (Kate Winslet). Juliet is also a bit of an outsider and soon becomes close friends with Pauline because they share the same interests (they both have a crush on tenor Mario Lanza , they both like Orson Wells films) and both love to make up fantasy worlds. Pauline is fascinated by Juliet's loud and frank manner and is impressed when she corrects their French teacher. Juliet also has a great deal of respect for Pauline and is intrigued by the scar she has on her knee.

The girls grow closer and closer together, they run around town in giggles and become inseparable. However Juliet contracts TB and has to be separated from Pauline. This doesn't stop them. They start to write extremely long letters to each other and construct an entire fantasy world where they can escape. The write elaborate stories about fictional characters and by the time Juliet is out of hospital and back with Pauline they even act out scenarios. Their parents start to worry about the two girls. They feel that their friendship is unhealthy and the fact that they could by lesbians is also hinted at. The parents decide that the girls should be separated. Juliet and Pauline couldn't bear the thought of this and through this fear they are drove to murder, something that will separate them for the rest of their lives.

It would have been easy to make a film about the murder making Juliet and Pauline seem like coldblooded lunatics who will let nothing get in their way. This film, fortunately doesn't go down that route but takes the view that Juliet and Pauline are hum
an beings who seem like normal kids who were driven to murder. They are not the villains f this film. If anyone is it's the parents who are the bad guys because they want to separate the two girls who we have gotten to know over the course of the film.

This film was a surprised coming from the director of such films as the low budget gore fest Bad Taste, the extremely bad taste Meet the Febbles and the blood soaked Braindead. The film at first looks like Jacksons previous work as we see Juliet and Pauline running towards the camera soaked in blood and saying something happened to their mother. Then for the most of the rest of the film we get a sensitive and insightful look into the two girls friendship. To make this film work who have to get to know and like the girls. The film allows this by giving up most of the screen time to the relationship. We get a Pauline's diary entries read out (the entries are the ones written by the real Pauline) we also get to see their fantasy world and therefore get to know more about them. The relationship portrayed is one of the strongest and most memorable I have ever seen in a film.

One of the things that makes this film so strong is the fact that the audience is aware of what is being lead up to, the murder of Pauline's mother. We also get a hint of the brutality from the opening scenes. Knowing this throughout the film makes the audience wonder how these two girls could do such a thing and we are also waiting to see what sets them off and when they are going to do it.

A strong point of the film has to be the performances. The casting of Juliet and Pauline is crucial to the whole film as they are the focus of it. Jackson made the ideal choice in Kate Winslet and Melanie Lynskey. Winslet captures the confidence of Juliet but also shows her more venerable side. Lynskey shows Pauline as being a strong character trapped inside a quiet exterior and changes throughout the film as the film develops
. Another performance that can't be ignored is Sarah Peirse as Pauline's mother. Although she is so against the friendship she is a poignant character because we know what is going to happen to her and she doesn't deserve it.

Jackson has succeeded in creating a film that handles the case of Pauline and Juliet in a way that captivates the audience, is based on fact and also shows the power that friendship has. This is a balanced, not biased view and I can't imagine this film would have worked if done any other way. Although this is a stunning film some may find it a bit slow and those hoping for a gore fest or slasher flick will surely be disappointed. I would recommend this film though because it is a stunning piece of cinema.

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