Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Slow
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Brutal
- brooding
- high-strain
- melodramatic
- late night noir viewing
- crime thriller marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film overwrought, disjointed, ponderously paced, and undermined by implausible plotting and stiff hard-boiled dialogue.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The investigation unfolds amid Louisiana crime networks, compromised loyalties, violence, and a bleak atmosphere.
After an assault on the Robicheaux home harms Annie, Dave’s investigation becomes emotionally and personally motivated.
The sole surviving child from a plane crash prompts Dave to investigate the fate of the other passengers.
Dave turns to childhood friend Bubba Rocque, but their relationship fractures as violence and criminal interests collide.
Films like Heaven's Prisoners, and why
The Big Easy
hard-boiled crime investigation, noir atmosphere, moral corruption, and escalating personal violence
Mississippi Burning
southern noir setting, detective protagonist, crime conspiracies, and brooding thriller tone
The Last Seduction
stylized neo-noir crime, erotic danger, betrayal, and heightened melodrama
The Hot Spot
detective mystery, criminal underworld, revenge, and darkly atmospheric American setting
Movie Details
- Director
- Phil Joanou
- Release Date
- 1996-05-17
- Runtime
- 132 min
- Rating
- 5.4 / 10 (89)
Cast
- Alec Baldwin
- Kelly Lynch
- Eric Roberts
- Teri Hatcher
- Mary Stuart Masterson
- Vondie Curtis-Hall
- Badja Djola
- Samantha Lagpacan
- Joe Viterelli
- Tuck Milligan
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Heaven's Prisoners about?
- A Louisiana ex-detective’s attempt to protect a plane-crash orphan pulls him into a violent conspiracy that threatens his marriage and tests an old friendship.
- What is Heaven's Prisoners like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Heaven's Prisoners as slow, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Heaven's Prisoners violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Heaven's Prisoners as brutal.
- What did critics think of Heaven's Prisoners?
- Critics broadly found the film overwrought, disjointed, ponderously paced, and undermined by implausible plotting and stiff hard-boiled dialogue.
- Which films are like Heaven's Prisoners?
- Films with a similar feel include The Big Easy, Mississippi Burning, The Last Seduction, and The Hot Spot.
- How long is Heaven's Prisoners?
- Heaven's Prisoners runs 132 minutes.
- Where can I watch Heaven's Prisoners?
- In United States, Heaven's Prisoners is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home.
