Gates Of Heaven

Public opinion be darned... I hated, hated, hated this movie! A filmmaker should have something to communicate to the viewer, but this movie just rambles with no perceptible point of view, dramatic arc, or story of any kind.

It starts as a long, drawn-out discussion of how the original pet cemetary founders went through their business negotiations, along with the rise and fall of the business. The detail in their stories is extraordinary. But what is the point? Are we to laugh at the "hick" naivete of the concept originator? Are we to hiss at a callous rendering plant operator? And what do we make of the elderly woman at the door of her trailer telling a long, rambling stream of consciousness tale about her worthless son? What of the family in Napa carrying on the pet burying business? Is the service leader sincere or a hypocritical shyster? Is there a linkage?

I see nothing special in recording people babbling about things that are of personal interest to them, if we are given no framework in which to view the reminiscences. This movie is boring, technically primitive, and offers no insights or emotional connection. Feh.

Parents: No sex, violence, nudity, or swearing that I remember. The plot is all about pets that have died, so the kiddies might not like the concept.