Five Minutes of Heaven

"To face the future, they must face the past."

2009 1h 29m EN

😐

6.1

MID

★6.1TMDB · 230

CrimeDramaThriller

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

The story of former Ulster Volunteer Force member Alistair Little. Twenty-five years after Little killed Joe Griffin's brother, the media arrange an auspicious meeting between the two.

“To face the future, they must face the past.”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Liam Neeson
Alistair Little
James Nesbitt
Joe Griffin
Anamaria Marinca
Vika
Mark Ryder
Young Alistair - 1975
Niamh Cusack
Alistair's Mum - 1975
Paul Garrett
Alistair's Dad - 1975
Gerard Jordan
Jim - 1975
Conor MacNeill
Dave - 1975

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Oliver Hirschbiegel
Writers: Guy Hibbert
Languages: English
Countries: United Kingdom, Ireland

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

89 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 17 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: United Kingdom, Ireland.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel, shot by Ruairí O'Brien. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Leo Abrahams. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Hans Funck shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Liam Neeson and James Nesbitt and Anamaria Marinca carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "To face the future, they must face the past.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Oliver Hirschbiegel directs. Ruairí O'Brien behind the camera. Leo Abrahams scores. Hans Funck cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United Kingdom, Ireland. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

189 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
2Released 17 years ago.
3International production across 2 countries: United Kingdom, Ireland.
4Directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel, shot by Ruairí O'Brien. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Leo Abrahams. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Hans Funck shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Liam Neeson and James Nesbitt and Anamaria Marinca carry the top of the cast.
8Marketing tagline: "To face the future, they must face the past.".
9IMDB entry: tt1238291 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.