The Other Side of Heaven (2001)
John H. Groberg, a middle class kid from Idaho Falls, crosses the Pacific to become a Mormon missionary in the remote and exotic Tongan island kingdom during the 1950's. He leaves behind a loving family and the true love of his life, Jean. Through letters and musings across the miles, John shares his humbling and sometimes hilarious adventures with "the girl back home", and her letters buoy up his spirits in difficult times. John must struggle to overcome language barriers, physical hardship and deep-rooted suspicion to earn the trust and love of the Tongan people he has come to serve. Throughout his adventure-filled three years on the islands, he discovers friends and wisdom in the most unlikely places. John H. Groberg's Tongan odyssey will change his life forever.
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I am not a Mormon but thought this movie was a fine example of a good, clean, wholesome, interesting, and very enjoyable film. Time and time again we have watched--or started to watch--a highly proclaimed movie, only to be turned off by the language, violence, and sexual inferences. The Other Side of Heaven was a refreshing change and is proof that Hollywood can do it when they want to. Would love to see many, many more films of this quality. I saw this movie two days ago...and this weekend we are inviting relatives over to see it. Incidentally, we have friends who are (non-Mormon) missionaries in a location very much like Tonga, and they have experienced many, many of the same things portrayed in the film...even the rats!
One of those things most people don't realize about this, is this movie is a true story.This young man left his home for more than 2 years to do what he believed to be right and gave up everything. It shows what some people are willing to sacrifice to do what they believe is what God wants them to do, or more simply the right thing to do.It shows how hard the life of a missionary can be, and how they care about the people, and what rewards can come from being a missionary. It also shows what it's like to leave everything your used to behind, and go someplace completely strange, and then after being there for a while how hard it can be to readjust to life at home.Please don't disregard this movie simply because it's about a Mormon missionary Mission. You may miss something good.
I'm sorry that the adolescent ravings of the previous reviewer appear first. His profound failure to "get it" is an embarrassment.First of all, this is about a young man of "white-bread" heritage casting aside all he has and all he is, even leaving the love of his life for two and a half years, in order to immerse himself in a culture about which he is totally ignorant so that he can offer them the greatest gift he has to offer: His faith.Rather than "looking down" on the people he has come to SERVE, he bears great hardships, and exerts himself in ways he could never have conceived, in order to connect with these people. He comes to love them, profoundly.And their love for him in return, even those who have reason to be suspicious of him, is a testament to his sincerity.Please recall that this is a TRUE STORY. Whatever you might think of John Groberg's religion, or his motives, the fact is that these things actually happened in just this way. He DID travel from Idaho to Tonga, he did live among the people there, he did come to gain their trust, he did bring to them a precious gift of faith, and he did return often throughout the rest of his life, with his wife and family, to be among these people whom he loved.That anyone could be so callously dismissive of this truth is a sad commentary on our "post-Christian" society.But I found this film to be deeply moving and very satisfying, and I recommend it highly to those who enjoy inspiring film.
Excellently done I thought. Unlike some other recent movies that center on a Mormon character but have a theme that don't interest non-Mormons, this movie is great for Mormons and non-Mormons alike. It was nice to be able to go to the theater and not have to worry about the usual crude or suggestive language that is "hidden" in the script of so many screenplays today. I also liked the general message of faith, of how morally-strong people do exist today, and how good things still happen. This movie left me with the feeling that I wished I could have experienced what John Groberg did.