Heaven Is for Real
A small-town pastor defends his young son's account of visiting Heaven while faith, family, and community loyalties come under pressure.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- sincere
- earnest
- inspirational
- family viewing
- faith discussion
What critics said
Critics found a capable screenplay and talented cast, but felt the film overexplained its religious ideas through heavy-handed sequences.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Colton's matter-of-fact account of visiting Heaven challenges his father's church, family, and local community.
Todd and his family must decide how to interpret and share Colton's near-death experience amid skepticism and rejection.
The church turns against Todd and Colton, making communal religious judgment a central obstacle.
The film focuses on Todd's family, church relationships, and Colton's conversations instead of elaborate supernatural imagery.
Films like Heaven Is for Real, and why
Miracles from Heaven
shared faith-centered family drama, spiritual crisis, and emotionally accessible treatment of extraordinary religious experience
The Case for Christ
shared true-story-inspired religious drama, child-centered spiritual revelation, and family resilience
Soul Surfer
shared inspirational drama, Christian community setting, and conflict between belief and skepticism
Movie Details
- Director
- Randall Wallace
- Release Date
- 2014-04-16
- Runtime
- 99 min
- Rating
- 6.8 / 10 (908)
Cast
- Greg Kinnear
- Kelly Reilly
- Connor Corum
- Thomas Haden Church
- Jacob Vargas
- Lane Styles
- Darren Felbel
- Ali Tataryn
- Jon Ted Wynne
- Darcy Fehr
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Angel Studios, Sony Pictures Core Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Plex
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Heaven Is for Real about?
- A small-town pastor defends his young son's account of visiting Heaven while faith, family, and community loyalties come under pressure.
- What is Heaven Is for Real like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Heaven Is for Real as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Heaven Is for Real violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Heaven Is for Real.
- What did critics think of Heaven Is for Real?
- Critics found a capable screenplay and talented cast, but felt the film overexplained its religious ideas through heavy-handed sequences.
- Which films are like Heaven Is for Real?
- Films with a similar feel include Miracles from Heaven, The Case for Christ, and Soul Surfer.
- How long is Heaven Is for Real?
- Heaven Is for Real runs 99 minutes.
- Where can I watch Heaven Is for Real?
- In United States, Heaven Is for Real streams on Angel Studios, Sony Pictures Core Amazon Channel.
