Heaven Before I Die

Heaven Before I Die (1997)

Genres - Comedy  |   Sub-Genres - Farce  |   Run Time - 95 min.  |   Countries - Australia, Canada  |   MPAA Rating - PG
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Synopsis by Mark Deming

In this eccentric comedy, Jacob (Andy Velasquez) is a young man from Israel whose father has long regarded him as a test presented to him by God. Jacob's mind runs on a path all his own, and he has a mild handicap -- his feet stick out at right angles from his legs, giving him a very curious walk. Having little luck finding his place in the world at home, and depressed after his girlfriend leaves him, Jacob learns of a land of wonder and opportunity called Canada, and he soon relocates to Toronto. Jacob isn't in town long before he is befriended by a thief (Giancarlo Giannini) who shows him the ropes of life in the big city, when he's not busy knocking over ATMs. Jacob spends his days wondering the streets of Toronto and meets a woman named Selma (Joanna Pacula), who not only becomes his new girlfriend, but finds him work impersonating Charlie Chaplin in a street-theater act with a pig and a rock band. Omar Sharif makes a brief appearance as the author and philosopher Khalil Gibran, and Leonard Cohen plays a man who impersonates Leonard Cohen.

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Keywords

girlfriend, handicap, immigrant, impersonation, love, poet, robbery, waiter