Other Side of Heaven

Theatrical Release Date: 2002 04 12 (USA - Limited)

UPC: 786936211702

Studio: Walt Disney Video

MPAA Rating: PG   Contains:[Adult Situations, Suitable for Children]

Summary: A young man from Idaho finds himself in a beautiful but dangerous land in the South Pacific as he follows his faith and tries to spread it to others in this adventure-drama, based on a true story. In 1953, John Groberg (Christopher Gorham) is a 19-year-old student at Brigham Young University, whose greatest adventure in life had been to leave home to go to school in Utah. That all changes when Groberg accepts a missionary assignment in the Tonga Islands near Fiji; Groberg is instructed to "build a kingdom" and educate the natives about the Mormon faith, even though he knows little of their customs and nothing of their language. Leaving behind his sweetheart, Jean Sabin (Anne Hathaway), Groberg arrives in Tonga and is quickly immersed in the native culture, and strives to teach the Tongans about the teachings of the Latter-Day Saints while trying to respect their cultural traditions and face the joys and struggles of primitive life in the South Pacific alongside them. Groberg makes a valuable ally in Feki (Joe Folau), a Tongan who becomes an avid follower of the Mormon faith, but he also finds his loyalty to Jean (with whom he's been maintaining a long-distance relationship through cards and letters) tested when a native girl makes her attraction to him quite clear. Based on the real John Groberg's memoir In the Eye of the Storm, The Other Side of Heaven was produced by Jerry Molen, Academy Award winning producer of Schindler's List and Jurassic Park; it also marked the directorial debut of screenwriter Mitch Davis. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Category: Drama

Features: ccThe making of The Other Side of Heaven - behind the scenes featurette
Audio commentary with director Mitch Davis
Still gallery
Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound
Widscreen (1.85:1)

Other Side of Heaven

Format: Digital Video Disc (DVD)

Release Date: 04/01/2003

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Theatre Wide-Screen

Audio: DD5.1 Dolby Digital 5.1

Runtime: 113 Minutes

Sides: 1

Number of Discs: 1

Language(s) English

Region: USA & territories, Canada

Chapters: Side #1 --
1. Opening Titles/John Groberg [10:39]
2. Tonga [11:17]
3. Four Days [11:35]
4. Healing [10:47]
5. Plan of Happiness [12:46]
6. Room for Three [6:58]
7. The Hurricane [6:14]
8. Waiting for the Boat [2:49]
9. Good Wind [10:39]
10. Forms [6:48]
11. The Telegram [8:39]
12. Coming Home/End Credits [7:38]

Dacia Blodgett-Williams

This is an excellent adaptation of the memoirs of John Groberg, who, in the 1950s, served a mission to the Tongan Islands on behalf of his church. Actors Christopher Gorham and Anne Hathaway star as Groberg and his sweetheart, Jean Sabin, along with a strong cast of supporting actors. This family-friendly film follows Groberg as he leaves the comfort of his home in Idaho Falls, ID, to embark on his mission to a Southern Pacific country neither he nor his family has even heard of. He faces lengthy travel delays, unconventional connections, and even has to work his way across the sea to get to his destination. Once he arrives, he is faced by a suspicious group of natives who are a little too eager to enjoy his culture shock. Yet through nearly three years of service, Groberg learns to love the people he's been sent to serve. He maintains regular contact throughout his mission with his sweetheart, whose letters help sustain him in his moments of despair and provide the movie's sense of romance. There is no lack of adventure in this film as the islands were prone to severe weather. The special effects for the hurricane and shipwreck scenes are breathtaking. ~ Dacia Blodgett-Williams, Rovi

Cast and Crew: Gerald R. Molen  Producer 
Kevin Kiner  Composer (Music Score) 
Mitch Davis  Director 
Mitch Davis  Executive Producer 
Mitch Davis  Screenwriter 
John Garbett  Producer 
Christopher Gorham  Actor 
Anne Hathaway  Actor 
Joe Folan  Actor 
Miriama Smith  Actor 
Nathaniel Lees  Actor 
Whetu Fala  Actor 
Alvin Fitisemanu  Actor 
Peter Brown  Actor 
April McKinley  Actor 

Country: USA