Parents' Guide to

Just Like Heaven

By Cynthia Fuchs, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 12+

Quirky romantic comedy with a dark-ish premise.

Movie PG-13 2005 95 minutes
Just Like Heaven Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

See all
age 11+

Based on 4 parent reviews

mamazora
mamazora Parent of 10-year-old
July 4, 2022
age 10+

Don’t ban stories just don’t be afraid to call attention to stereotypes in books or film with the kids.

Passive racism - “you invited the whole Joy Luck Club over” says one protagonist to the other. Following the scene in which Chinese women are shown to be mystified by a smoke detector. These subtle slights should be mentioned and addressed by parents as they depict “minorities” as different and less than, perpetuating them insidiously as caricatures. Watch with the kids and then point this out to improve their cinematic literacy.
1 person found this helpful.
jorgeal95
jorgeal95 Adult
March 6, 2011
age 12+

Very cute romantic comedy

I really enjoy watching this movie. Very funny and worth watching. Some sexual scenes, non at all explicit, are played for laughs. Looking for a funny romcom? Watch this one. It won't disappoint. Ruffalo is amazing.

This title has:

Great role models
1 person found this helpful.
See all 4 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Workaholic doctor Elizabeth (Reese Witherspoon) is slightly yearning; her friends have relationships, her sister Abby (Dina Waters) has two adorable daughters, and yet, Elizabeth can't seem to develop a life outside work. One night, she crashes into a truck; shortly afterwards, her apartment is rented by lonely, sensitive, landscape designer David (Mark Ruffalo). The only issue for this perfect guy is that he's mourning a lost wife, and so meeting the seeming ghost of Elizabeth gives him a built-in friend. As time goes on it becomes clear that they're made for each other, save for the small obstacle of her seeming deadness. David gets encouragement when an occult bookstore clerk (Jon Heder) suggests that for a spirit, she's very "alive," that is, caught between death and life.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (4):
Kids say (9):

JUST LIKE HEAVEN is a Sleeping Beauty story refashioned to combine upbeat rom-com conventions and ER-lite medical-ethical dilemmas. It poses a grim question: Should a very nice young mother of two pull the life-support plug on her sister after three months of coma? It's a preposterous idea to cram into a romance.

And, while director Mark Waters is working with the completely charming and mostly convincing Reese Witherspoon and Mark Ruffalo, even this talented trio can't make this creepy perfect-ghost-girl idea go away. That doesn't mean they don't try.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the relationship between the sisters, as this creates the eventual dilemma/climax, as to whether Elizabeth should be taken off life support. How are they both loving and competitive, jealous and supportive? You might also consider the film's use of romantic comedy structures (boy meets girl, etc.) in relation to the ethical and even spiritual questions it poses, concerning life, death, and grief.

Movie Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate