for silence. for delicate story. for perspective of love, revenge, game with past and definition of truth. for images of Tuscany. for sky, romanticism, for Cate Blanchete and Giovanni Ribisi. for exploration of limits and special May 23, for masks of society, triumph of nuances, science of details, delicate touch, drawing of characters, heavy words, basic solutions, impression of fairy-tale or touching song, aura of things, looks and common pieces as parts of a puzzle who describes shadow of feelings. more than film - a meditation. or bitter way to understand reality more than a web without sense. a fascinating meeting with a fabulous mode to say the essential phrases.

Although Cate Blanchett and Gio Ribbisi do competent acting in "Heaven", the movie's premise quickly starts to pull the movie down. Here we're supposed to believe that a school teacher can somehow turn bomber on the idea that a politician/drug-dealer is single-handedly responsible for ruin in her life and school system, and that alone fuels her murderous intentions. It doesn't hold weight for character motivation at all. Meanwhile Ribbisi's character is believable, but the situation becomes down-trodden and clichéd - and the storyline simply throws in the towel towards the end giving up. It is more interested in conveying mood than content. "Heaven" isn't a dud, but a sensationalized romance trying to somehow come across as original in which it fails.

Allegory is were the story parallels a famous parable, fable or story. It usually involves human virtue and/or frailty, which serve as the actual point; i.e., not the setting, characters or even the plot. Some purists would argue that the virtue or weakness must match some classical theme; e.g., a biblical or Shakespearean tale told in modern method. Critics may argue a better allegory may involve characterization and plot as well as any other movie. Not necessarily.The story line (I almost hesitate to call it a "plot") in HEAVEN is interesting if not at all detailed, fleshed out, etc. Other than our two main characters, no character, with the limited exception of Phillepe's father, is given screen time, dialogue. Consider how easy it would have been to throw in some details to make the bad guy more evil, Phillepe's little brother more altruistic, etc. Even Phillepe's father is not really explained, serving bettor to enhance his son's conviction.What we are left with is this beautiful arch of innocence, tragedy,obsession,redemption, consummation and surrender. The bookending helicopter tool was a clever device, if irritating to some. But it doesn't matter how they died, kill'em in Bonnie & Clyde fashion if you like. If Cate's escape was clumsy, how cool was it to put the two in the attic, Phillepe's boyhood hideaway, for developing the relationship? Contrary to the cries that the plot was unbelievable, I found it clever how the plot, secondary characters, circumstances, etc., were so successfully minimized.When dad arrives in the rural village to meet with the fugitives, a shot freezes the two in their skinhead haircuts, punk jeans and tee shirts. They look no different than two ordinary beatniks, disenchanted youth, etc., and most of all, look so comfortable in their condition. The two come from such different backgrounds and have arrived therein from entirely different means and motivations. Yet there they sit, looking interchangeably the same and likewise united in purpose and conviction. Such is a much greater cinematic feat than a Hollywood getaway thriller.

I missed some of HEAVEN, but what I saw was mesmerizingly awful. A woman plots revenge in the death of her husband but things go wrong and she ends up in jail, where one of her jailers falls for her and plots her escape. English actress Kate Blanchett (not to be confused with Kate Bekinsale or Kate Winslett) plays the woman but the story is set in Italy, and all but one of her fellow actors is Italian (the exception being American-born Giovanni Ribisi) and huge chunks of dialog are in Italian with subtitles. The movie is extremely slow-going. Also, I am yet to find anything particularly appealing about Ms. Blanchett, whom I have now seen in three or four movies. I would have preferred Ms. Beckinsale and her perky breasts. And an American or possibly English setting.