Seven Minutes in Heaven (1986)

This Movie Can Only Be Described With One Word.

Stylish but barely mediocre overall

Charming and brutal

Absolutely amazing

Ohio teen Natalie Becker (Jennifer Connelly) is home alone while her father is away for work. Her longtime friend Jeff Moran stays with her after another fight with his stepfather. Her friend Polly Franklin likes James Casey III but he starts dating Natalie. Then Polly encounters pro baseball player Zoo Knudson and she pretends to be 18. It's a lot of awkward teenage romantic attempts for the three friends.The main reason to see this is Connelly. She's a bit awkward and new at the time. It's too bad that she never got into the John Hughes teen movies until Career Opportunities. This is not the best of the high school genre. The main problem is the construction. These three best friends are rarely in the same scene together. They get scattered. They need more scenes together to build chemistry and manufacture confrontations. The situations are a little edgy sexually. The characters are compelling but the drama stutters along the way.

Seven Minutes In Heaveh is a wonderful,underrated and funny Teen Coming Of Age Comedy Drama that's filled fine direction,a terrific cast,a good script and a great score and soundtrack. All of those combinations make Seven Minutes In Heaven an enjoyable Teen Film from the 1980s.Seven Minutes In Heaven tells the story of a trio of 15-year-olds and best friends the mature and wise beyond her years Natalie(Jennifer Connelly),Jeff Moran(Bryon James),a kid who has problems with his stepfather and runs away to at Natalie's house and Polly(Maddie Corman),a girl who's crazy about boys. Together,the trio deal with love,friendship and romance that's funny and dramatic.During the Teen Movie boom of the 1980s there were famous and well known Teen Movies such as The Breakfast Club,Fast Times At Ridgemont High and Ferris Bueller's Day Off that would later become classics while there were other Teen movies that would be obscure and little known but still terrific Teen Films in their own right,Seven Minutes in Heaven fits the latter category because Seven Minutes In Heaven is a movie that many people have not heard of or seen but deserves an audience and while Seven Minutes In Heaven is a Teen/Coming Of Age movie that lacks the great writing and iconic status of the three Teen films I mentioned above the film is still an entertaining,underrated Teen film and one of the better Teen Movies from from the 1980s that isn't a John Hughes movie,a Brat Pack film or a Teen sex Comedy but a small innocent film about love and growing up. One of the things that I like about Seven Minutes In Heaven is the way the film balances out Comedy and Drama while telling a fine and thoughtful story about Coming Of Age with laughs,romance and friendship. The laughs in SMIH are funny because there are moments in the film where the laughs are over the top and surreal and there are moments where the Humor and laughs are true to life and give you a glimpse into teenage life and growing up. But SMIH isn't a laugh fest because like most Teen Films and Coming Of Age films there is moments of drama and seriousness that is well done,realistic and interesting but the film is not too dramatic to make viewers depressed and sad. Another thing I like about SMIH is that the three main characters are played by actual teenagers instead of actors in their 20s,which is known element in Teen movies. With Teen actors playing Teen characters it makes most of the situations and dialog feel real,awkward and true to life. The three main characters Natalie,Jeff and Polly are wonderful characters in this film who are full of depth and emotion because with Natalie,Jeff and Polly all them have to deal with friendship,love and heartbreak while also dealing themselves,their parents and dealing with being caught between childhood and adulthood,trying to be grown ups while remembering that they are still kids. The whole film is not only an examination of teenage love and romance but also an examination of Natalie,Jeff and Polly and it the relationships between the trio makes the film work and if you are or were and Teenager you will relate to the three of them. The screenplay by Jane Bernstein and director Linda Feferman is good,with Bernstein and Feferman giving the characters dialog that is funny and memorable. The ending of Seven Minutes In Heaven is terrific and will make smile because the ending makes Natalie,Jeff and Polly's relationship stronger and greater. Nice ending.The whole cast is great. Jennifer Connolly is excellent and beautiful as Natalie,with Connolly bringing humor and depth to the role. Bryon Thames is wonderful and hilarious as Jeff,Natalie and Polly's friend. Maddie Corman is fantastic as Polly,a girl who's boy crazy. Alan Boyce does a good job as James Casey,Natalie's boyfriend. Polly Draper(Aileen Moran Jones)and Marshall Bell(Gerry Jones)give great performances as Jeff's Mother and Stepfather. Billy Wirth does a fine job as Zoo Knudsen,a Baseball player Polly likes. Terry Kinney is outstanding as Bill,a photographer Polly meets. Michael Zaslow(Bob Becker,Natalie's Father),Spalding Gray(Dr. Rodney),Michael Higgins(Senator Henry Petersen),Paul Martell(Williams,White House Aide)and Margo Skinner(Lenore Frankin,Polly's Mother)give good performances as well.The direction by Linda Feferman is good and simple,with Feferman occasionally moving the camera giving the film a nice tone and atmosphere. Fine direction,FefermanThe score by Robert Kraft is fantastic,beautiful and goes with the tone of the film. Wonderful score,Kraft. There is also terrific songs in the film by Josie Aiello such as Dear You,Ready or Not,Inner Logic and Little Boy Sweet. Good songs,Aiello.In final word,if you love Teen Movies or Coming Of Age Film,I highly suggest you see Seven Minutes In Heaven,a wonderful,underrated and funny Teen/Coming Of Age Film that you will enjoy watching from beginning to end. Highly Recommended. 9.5/10.

This movie rocks" Jen sexy as ever and Polly wow were we really ever that young this movie can still touch the hearts of a lot of teens it needs to be put on DVD soon or it will become a classic. i Really enjoyed growing up to this movie i have always had a crush on Jen now i am too old but to this movie is made for all gens> you know i come from the early 80,s area were i Had to watch everyone els live the life i wanted but thru movies i can do that all over again i guess in short i am hoping and wishing that this movie not be lost in time but reborn to the youth so they may enjoy the heart warm filling you get learning about hormones and datting problems and how to get away with stuff that seems so major back then but don't mean nothan now so this movie is a dating tool.

I really enjoyed this movie.I was fifteen when this movie came out and I could relate. This will be a movie I would show my kids to let them know, the feelings they are having are normal. It is funny to see how we could be so devestated by things at such a young age..who knew that we would bounce back....again and again....Great movie!!!!