Made by the same director as the German historical drama Downfall, the film is now free to watch.
Five Minutes of Heaven, the brilliant 2009 Irish thriller starring James Nesbitt and Liam Neeson, is now available to watch for free at home.
Streaming via the RTÉ Player, the movie comes from director Oliver Hirschbiegel (the German historical drama Downfall) and writer Guy Hibbert (Omagh). It is loosely based on real events.
“In 1970s Northern Ireland, young Joe Griffin watches in horror as the teenage leader of a UVF cell shoots Joe’s brother dead,” the plot synopsis reads.
“30 years later, peace is at hand, and Joe (Nesbitt) is to meet his brother’s killer, Alistair Little (Neeson), on live TV.
“Unbeknownst to the TV crew, Joe is not there to reconcile with Alistair, but to kill him.”
A tense and powerful story and also a showcase for two of Northern Ireland’s best actors to go toe-to-toe with each other, Five Minutes of Heaven is essential viewing.
However, the film’s unconventional release strategy – in some territories, it got a limited cinema release; while in the UK, it aired as a TV movie – means it could probably still find a larger audience.
You can check out a sample of some of the glowing reviews for Five Minutes of Heaven below:
NYC Movie Guru: “A 90-minute tour de force of suspense and intrigue with outstanding, powerhouse performances by James Nesbitt and Liam Neeson. It’s one of the most rousing and provocative thrillers of the year.”
Reeling Reviews: “James Nesbitt is searing in a performance that bubbles both with rage and a tightrope type of wit.”
Seattle Times: “Two marvelous performances from two Irish actors turn Oliver Hirschbiegel’s Five Minutes of Heaven into a tour de force.”
SBS: “Tense tale of guilt and atonement in Northern Ireland.”
Slant Magazine: “Spread out over 33 years and framed almost entirely in three crucial, tension-filled scenes, Oliver Hirschbiegel’s Five Minutes of Heaven dissects the intersection of two men’s lives in the aftermath of wartime and sectarian conflict.”
Five Minutes of Heaven is now available to watch for free for those in Ireland through the RTÉ Player.
