Days of Heaven (1978)

A very artistic film that should be watched on a big screen to really be enjoyed. Starring Richard Gere in one of his earliest film roles, he is just 29 in this movie and I've never seen him as anything but old in films before. Alongside Brooke Adams (better known from the tv show Wings) and Sam Shepard, who probably has the most colorful career of the cast, with an Oscar nomination for The Right Stuff and now playing grandfathers in current films including Brothers. The director Terrence Malick is well known for artistic films like The Thin Red Line and The New World.

The film is simple. Gere's character gets in a fight working at a mill, to avoid repercussions he goes on the run with his girlfriend Adams and sister Linda Manz (a teenager and the narrator). They end up finding work in Shepard's character's fields, then plot to become owners of the land.

The film is very slow, but also short. In The New World I found in painfully slow to the point that the movie was just boring. In this film I though it very artistic. Since the runtime isn't that bad at only 90 minutes it doesn't seem that slow either. It isn't great and not really deserving of any awards, and I can see myself completely forgetting what this film was about in a year or two since it was lacking in any real memorable scenes. Not a bad watch if it is on any of your lists.

Vote: 7/10

IMDB Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077405/

Share: