The Closest Thing to Heaven

Running time: N/A

Is The Closest Thing to Heaven one of those corporate recruiting films, promoting another big city in the south, to a growing high-tech company looking for a new home? You might just start to think that, as the film greets you with shots of the modern Charlotte, North Carolina skyline. But when we are introduced to our guide and narrator, Howard, a dapper, southern gentlemen complete with white suit, gray beard and white fedora who rides a curiously decorated bicycle, it will be obvious that odd times are ahead. With keen observation and a quirky sense of humor, The Closest Thing to Heaven leads us through a wide array of Charlotte characters. The Minister and the apple of his eye Viola; the pair of southern dope heads looking for money; the single mother shopping with her daughter and the man who just can't leave them alone; the immigrant family that runs the local fast food drive-in, the local fiddle band and more. With Howard as our guide, we not only watch how the day unfolds for the colorful cast of Charlotte, but we get a chance to learn a little trivia about Charlotte, itself. And what a day it is! There's adultery, gunfire, tom-foolery and much, much more. Fifteen people, five stories, one angel and a milkshake create an ambiance one is not soon to forget. If Charlotte is as close to heaven as the title implies, then God's recipe calls for the best spices, and Dorne Pentes' unique vision creates the perfect balance of its ingredients. The Closest Thing to Heaven marks the feature directorial debut of Dorne Pentes. --Rodger Hughes