One of my all time favorites.

Lack of good storyline.

A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

Jeremy Renner plays a white trash criminal with a wife played by Julia Stiles, (known from the Jason Bourne movies as the female agent). Husband and wife fake a claim for a million dollar life insurance after they staged an accident. Will they get away with it or will insurance agent Forrest Whitaker find out the truth?This insurance scam idea is great. Could make for great suspense. Unfortunately the story falls flat, because of some pretty big credibility flaws, things that just WOULD NOT happen in real life during an insurance investigation. Too bad, because the acting is great. However the story just lacks coherence and credibility, so however great the acting is, it still falls flat. With a more credible story this could have been a very suspenseful con movie, but unfortunately now only the directing and acting is left to be praised. What's good though are the many plot twists and turns that kept me curious about how it would all end. Not bad, but not good either. 6 stars. Funny endnote: the end credits of this icelandic production were rather special because it featured the names of ALL the extras that acted in this movie. That is never done in any other movie. I would love to be an extra myself. Knowing that I have NONE acting skills whatsoever I would be thrilled to play as an invisible extra. And what better proof that you took part then an actual credit with your name at the end!

Icelandic director Baltasar Kormakur directs "A Little Trip to Heaven", a noir inspired drama starring Forest Whitaker as Abe Holt, an insurance agent tasked with investigating a mysterious death in small town America.Bizarrely, the film's shot in Iceland but takes place in the United States. This gives the picture an unconventionally hyper-stylised look, with moody skylines, rain drenched locales, and lots of blacks, greys and grubby browns. The interesting-faced Julia Stiles plays a cross between your typical noir femme-fatale and damsel in distress. Whitaker sports an unconvincing Minnesotan accent.The film contains a wonderful opening act – very atmospheric - but quickly falls apart. You can almost pinpoint exactly where it goes off the rails: Whitaker, who plays a lonely, shy, work-obsessed investigator, is approached in a bar by a man-hungry obese woman. Too timid to push her away, he finds himself dancing with her, their lonely, chubby bodies swaying to the sound of a midnight jukebox. Unfortunately Kormakur cuts away from the moment as soon as it starts. The rest of the plot proceeds in a similar manner, Kormakur uninterested in dwelling on more interesting, original moments, or even his central character, and too preoccupied with rushing through his familiar tale.6.9/10 – Worth one viewing.

This "independent" movie is set somewhere in the USA, but it is filmed in Iceland. All the crew and the director appear to be Scandinavian. It is about a man who seems to live his life running scams to get insurance money, but this time he runs up against one of the better insurance investigators who tries to minimize payouts.The lead role is played by Forest Whitaker as Abe Holt, who seems very good as the insurance man. When a man insured for $1Million is found dead and burned in a tragic car wreck, Holt is dispatched to see if there is fraud involved. Basically, he tries to find the victim alive. The rat is Jeremy Renner as "Fred", who apparently is married to the sister of the deceased man, and she is the sole beneficiary of the $1Million. But not all is as it seems to be. Julia Stiles is Isold, the sister, and the young son is Thor. Interesting movie, something different from Hollywood blockbusters.SPOILERS: The man Fred who appears to be Isold's husband is really the man supposed to be dead, Isold's crooked brother, who found a drifter to kill in the wreck. Holt figures this out, a key piece of information is finding the real "Fred" was already dead. Holt arranges the policy so that Isold will get $1Million, but when he tried to get the brother to justice, both end up dying in yet another car crash.

I went to the world premier of this film:D:D...This film was all shot in Iceland...and I think it was the best place for this film..all the dark houses..and creepy background...I'm still thinking about this film how this happened and how this was related to this part...and so on....this film makes you think...and I know that Baltasar Kormákur...thought a lot about this film...and this film worked..also all the music was Icelandic...and did good for the film...the actors where great..forest was the best i think..he did a great job...and Julia...she was the perfect home working girl who didn't want to leave her husband because she was afraid and thought she wouldn't get any better..and you felt sorry for her....and Jeremy....he was great too...and the car accidents where so real...and the sound..and everything you just where like wow!!...I think it's a movie you have to see..and I think you have to see twice..and I'm so gonna see it again....Hope you see it too...