The Other Side of Heaven [15th Anniversary Edition]

Director: Mitch Davis Mitch Davis

Overview

A young man from Idaho finds himself in a beautiful but dangerous land in the South Pacific as he follows his faith and tries to spread it to others in this adventure-drama, based on a true story. In 1953, John Groberg (Christopher Gorham) is a 19-year-old student at Brigham Young University, whose greatest adventure in life had been to leave home to go to school in Utah. That all changes when Groberg accepts a missionary assignment in the Tonga Islands near Fiji; Groberg is instructed to "build a kingdom" and educate the natives about the Mormon faith, even though he knows little of their customs and nothing of their language. Leaving behind his sweetheart, Jean Sabin (Anne Hathaway), Groberg arrives in Tonga and is quickly immersed in the native culture, and strives to teach the Tongans about the teachings of the Latter-Day Saints while trying to respect their cultural traditions and face the joys and struggles of primitive life in the South Pacific alongside them. Groberg makes a valuable ally in Feki (Joe Folau), a Tongan who becomes an avid follower of the Mormon faith, but he also finds his loyalty to Jean (with whom he's been maintaining a long-distance relationship through cards and letters) tested when a native girl makes her attraction to him quite clear. Based on the real John Groberg's memoir In the Eye of the Storm, The Other Side of Heaven was produced by Jerry Molen, Academy Award winning producer of Schindler's List and Jurassic Park; it also marked the directorial debut of screenwriter Mitch Davis.

Product Details

Release Date:	11/02/2018
UPC:	0783027017595
Original Release:	2002
Rating:	PG
Source:	Excel Entertainment
Language:	English
Time:	1:53:00
Sales rank:	22,285

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Christopher Gorham	John Groberg
Anne Hathaway	Jean Sabin
Joe Folau	Feki
Nathaniel Lees	Kelepi
Miriama Smith	Lavinia
Alvin Fitisemanu	Tomasi
Whetu Fala	Asi
Peter Sa'ena-Brown	Kuli
April McKinley	Noli
Joe Folan	Feki
Peter Brown	Kuli
Kevin Kiner	Composer

Technical Credits

Mitch Davis

Mitch Davis	Director,Screenwriter,Executive Producer
John Garbett	Producer
Gerald R. Molen	Producer
Christina Asher	Casting
Gretchen Rennell Court	Casting

Editorial Reviews

More cynical viewers need not follow missionary John Groberg to Tonga in the South Pacific, but this ravishingly photographed adaptation of Groberg's memoirs will find many fans nonetheless. This 2002 Walt Disney production recounts the idealistic Brigham Young University graduate's experiences in Tonga, depicting him winning the hearts, minds, and faith of the natives. Christopher Gorham stars as Groberg, a fish out of water on this remote tropical island that falls short of paradise. In 1953, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints dispatches the resolute and unwavering Groberg to spread the faith. But first, he must learn the language (his mistranslations --"outhouse" for "lighthouse" -- are good for laughs), win over the island's unwelcoming minister, fend off a comely young island girl, and withstand mosquitoes, rats, disease, and raging storms. The limited screen time of Anne Hathaway (The Princess Diaries), who costars as Groberg's faithful girlfriend back home, barely warrants second billing, but her correspondence with Groberg is the heart of the film. Secular viewers can lose themselves in the exotic surroundings and adventure, while religious families will appreciate a film that treats its devout main character with respect. And don’t miss the "where are they now" coda, with pictures of the actual people, which is undeniably moving.

Barnes & Noble - Donald Liebenson

This is an excellent adaptation of the memoirs of John Groberg, who, in the 1950s, served a mission to the Tongan Islands on behalf of his church. Actors Christopher Gorham and Anne Hathaway star as Groberg and his sweetheart, Jean Sabin, along with a strong cast of supporting actors. This family-friendly film follows Groberg as he leaves the comfort of his home in Idaho Falls, ID, to embark on his mission to a Southern Pacific country neither he nor his family has even heard of. He faces lengthy travel delays, unconventional connections, and even has to work his way across the sea to get to his destination. Once he arrives, he is faced by a suspicious group of natives who are a little too eager to enjoy his culture shock. Yet through nearly three years of service, Groberg learns to love the people he's been sent to serve. He maintains regular contact throughout his mission with his sweetheart, whose letters help sustain him in his moments of despair and provide the movie's sense of romance. There is no lack of adventure in this film as the islands were prone to severe weather. The special effects for the hurricane and shipwreck scenes are breathtaking.

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