Heaven Without People (2017) User Reviews

Simple work of art

[joebahout · 8/10 · 17 May 2020]

You start watching not knowing what's it all about, a big family meeting for an Easter lunch ,loud discussions ,arguments about religion, freedom of expression, politics and immigration which leads to get to know each one of them and their relation to reach other. That's how the storyline starts . I felt that the actors were improvising,expressing very naturally and freely . I'll leave the rest for you to discover. Don't miss it

Well done everyone

[yazanghawi · 8/10 · 11 September 2018]

It was a great movie ... the script and the director were able to catch our attention throughout the film inside a house where 13 people gathered to have their lunch but we lived with each one his or her live outside the shot limits ... the simplicity in this movie makes it one of a kind and the actrecess and actors were all brilliant in their roles where you could not imagine that it is the first movie for them

A great perpective on lebanese traditions

[tony-maksoudian · 8/10 · 24 May 2020]

As a lebanese man with a big family, the fact that i was able to watch this film and relate to almost every scene is impressive. The film inspires change, and raises awareness on lebanese traditions that, in this day and age, should be looked at and terminated. Thank you to the director Lucien for creating this story and for helping to raise the bar of lebanese cinema.

Simple, real and hilarious with deep meanings

[anthnader · 10/10 · 12 August 2018]

Although it was shot all in one single house, this movie is a constant attention grabber. It keeps you closely following the dialogue, which you can relate to as a Lebanese. A dialogue that is real, spontaneous and makes you forget the actors are actually acting. A very authentic mis-en-scene and a scenario that speaks of our reality as Lebanese families, with frustrations, complexities, and even fakeness. It is more stunning to learn that it was done with a very low budget and with actors having their first acting experience

A Masterpiece indeed!

[rf-25539 · 10/10 · 19 May 2020]

Finished watching Heaven Without People on Netflix but still can't take out the beautifully written characters out of my head. They're so real that they live with you and breathe with you. The characters are like intricately woven canvas from the many existing characters that we meet and know and even live with. A must watch!

Lebanese reality at it's finest.

[alessandraelchanti-95064 · 23 May 2020]

This film is unlike any other Lebanese film that has been made due to the fact that it boldly addresses layers of issues that exist in the Lebanese society. The narrative and characters reflect the dynamic that every family in Lebanon has, which tends to come out most when gathered together over a meal. The cinematography is to be applauded because there is one family member on the table that you never see in front of the camera; yourself. I applaud Lucien Bourjeily for his courage to create such a complex narrative that is never addressed head-on in Lebanese cinema, and for doing so in in such a simple setting.

Starts off slow but is worth the watch

[joshuabro-41641 · 7/10 · 5 March 2022]

It's about a middle eastern family gathering together for dinner on Easter and something bad happens that sends the family into chaos. The start of the film is very mundane and almost bored me to death, but then the story gradually gets more interesting towards the middle of the movie. It's got a surprising ending that made me bump the rating from a 5 to a 7 out of 10.

Brilliant!

[nour_ajouz · 10/10 · 29 July 2018]

This movie is by far, the most brilliant Lebanese movie i ve seen in a while: Lucien summarized the story of a war-traumatized society in such a simple setup using gifted first-time amateur actors, encompassing all the issues we, the Lebanese, keep pushing under the rug (and they keep coming back with a vengeance), our denials, our frustrations... A look at the faces of the audience leaving the cinema and the silence covering everyone's baffled mind, explains what im trying to say here much more expressively.

Interesting directing but somewhat boring

[rigo222 · 6/10 · 10 January 2022]

This is a thriller. An incident happens and we want to know the truth.

Except this happens only in the second part of the movie. The first part is only talk talk talk. We feel like a fly on the wall listening to a family dinner.

The way the movie is directed is interested, in the sense that it looks like it is shot in one take, or that the actors are 100% improvising. Which is probably not the case so thumbs up to the actors for the amazing job in conveying realness (even the babies)! But I felt that Rita (Farah Shaer) was always trying to steal the spotlight, she's the only one who felt overdone as if she's trying to push the plot forward. At the end, it became aggressive and way too much. One character (Elias) even says "stop repeating the same sentences"!!

The intrigue is revealed in 2 seconds in the last minute of the film and nothing else is quite addressed...

A Lebanese True Story

[georges-nahas · 9/10 · 19 May 2020]

Ghada el Eid "Heaven without People" is a true reflection of a casual holiday reunion by a Christian Lebanese family! Endless talk of politics, immigration, relegion, extremism and above all unfortunately fake relations amoung the family itself! Written and directed by Lucien Bourjeily, the movie is shot in a hand held camera dogma style and it really seems like you're watching a one location play. A simple gathering that turns upside down into unexpected surprises which I will not spoil for sure! To conclude, it wouldn't have been powerful without a great cast of "non-professional" actors that helped make the movie even more real! You'll find a true copy of yourself in one of the characters I can assure that! Go watch independent Lebanese movies it's on Netflix.

I liked the camera work

[awvknj · 6/10 · 13 May 2023]

It was like being a fly on the wall in another culture, watching the family sit around the dinner table, eating talking, maybe trying to be on their best behavior... until it all unravels and the superficial diplomacy where is thin, and everyone shows their true colors. The dialogue seem to flow naturally nothing felt artificial. ( However, I wouldn't really know since I don't speak Arabic and had to rely on the subtitles sometimes, however, the body language was enough to keep me mesmerized in the scene, and it didn't really matter with words were saying. I'd recommend this for anyone who enjoys watching foreign films. I'm no expert as to South intensity, but I found it interesting and the twist at the end poignant!

Bravo!

[Faristuta · 9/10 · 3 July 2020]

As an Arab (Jordanian) who's aware of the political and religious conflicts in Lebanon, I enjoyed this film quite a bit. At times, it even felt like a reality show given how realistic and natural the dialogue was. I'm really impressed how such a low-budget film can achieve in conveying real life issues to outsiders more than much more well-funded films. This is a victory for young and ambitious film makers like the director Lucien. Some concepts may seem unusual for people unaware of the culture, for example in Lebanon you can guess someone's religious affiliation (sometimes) based on where they live. Having a live-in housekeeper is also common in the Arab world as well even in middle-class families.....etc One moment I specifically liked in the film, is when the bride revealed where she lives, suggesting she may be Muslim, there was immediate silence in the room. You could feel the tension rising from that moment on. The camera angel, her low-toned voice... that was a superb moment. This film shows that you can achieve so much with relatively low budget. Great job.

Very uninteresting story and shaky cam

[nickthestick22 · 5/10 · 29 October 2018]

The story is one all Lebanese and likely most families are familiar with. Underlying family tensions that boil over. It's not helped by the incredibly mundane dialogue leading up to the confilict.

I'm sure the director wanted to inspire a feel of intimacy In the first half and claustrophobia In the second with his close up shaky cam. But it doesn't work. It's lazy.

The only saving grace is the acting of the matriarch and a couple of the young gentlemen.

Brilliant work of art🌟

[diananajjar-50060 · 10/10 · 22 May 2020]

I loved Heaven without people! The movie carries a distinctive style in depicting realities lived in many Lebanese households. The whole setup feels natural, simple and authentic. It sure brings you close to home.

Raw, complex and unforgettable!

[danawi · 10/10 · 22 May 2020]

Incredible acting with a plot that starts much like a documentary then sneaks up on you and escalates to a Pandora's box of intricate and intense scenes, building up to a mesmerizing grand finally. So layered, so intense, so complex, yet so poignantly simple. Brilliantly directed and beautifully written. A feast for the eye and the soul. Bravo!

Spot on

[hishamabiali · 9/10 · 21 May 2020]

Very accurate depiction of the biases, stereotypes and dynamics in the Lebanese society.

Amazing movie😍😍

[antonios-83774 · 10/10 · 23 May 2020]

This is one of the movies that we should be proud of as LEBANESE!! Thank you for every single member of the crew for giving us the chance to know the real meaning of a HEAVEN WITHOUT PEOPLE

Amazing cast, awsome movie

[ahmadafyouni · 10/10 · 23 May 2020]

Typical lebanese family around the table Directed brilliantly The Actors are so natural (unlike most lebanese productions) The Script is realistic and well written. Chapeau bas

Cheap and low cost movie

[wtahtouh · 1/10 · 17 May 2020]

In my opinion it is a cheap movie with a low quality script. It was a total waste of time. Lebanese family gathering has much more interesting and creative discussions to be highlighted. Enough pinpointing on religious topics just to bring audience.

Loved it

[naderelcharif · 9/10 · 24 May 2020]

What a film. I loved it. Unexpected ending with adorable back to home heart warming environment. Chapeau bas guys!

A Very Realistic Representation of the Lebanese People

[karimmaksad · 10/10 · 23 May 2020]

I loved the movie. It portrays the Lebanese family as it is. The script is very important and it accurately represents dinner table conversations. It tackles the nature of controversial topics such as corrupt elections, racism, and secterianism very well. The actors are very talented. Lebanese cinema and tv almost never portray natural dialogue and instead uses generic terms and sentences the people don't use in order to try to impress (and fail) the western community. They also omit curse words which are a very important part of Lebanese society. This movie however successfully and accurately portrays just that. It even takes a comical hit on Lebanese soap operas and on their "perfect" dialogue

Reality great movie!!

[lindadassin · 9/10 · 23 May 2020]

Great movie sharing lebanese immigrants thoughts and feelings through some of the characters. Also it showed how imperfect a family could be and become due to economical and social issues in the country. Loved each actor!!

Brilliant

[sarieddine_haitham · 10/10 · 4 June 2020]

Second part is AMAZING, made me sit back and sink into the thriller. Too much surprises. Must Watch

Amazing movie

[gilbertbou · 10/10 · 23 October 2018]

Really amazing movie, talks about the essence of the family and interrelations between different members of the family.

Amateur and boring

[HalaHasIssues · 3/10 · 19 May 2020]

I didn't enjoy it. I get that the movie is portraying a typical lebanese family lunch gathering, discussing and tackling usual topics like religion, politics, the economy, etc. But i found the characters to be completely un-relatable and the subjects talked about to be cliché and overused. I found the actors to be amateurs in a way that i started to focus on the loud and annoying acting instead of the plot. To sum up, i thought it was boring and not really delivering any messages.