As It Is in Heaven
2004 · Movie · 132 min · ★ 7.1 · 78% critics
After a health scare, a world-famous composer returns to his small hometown hoping for a quieter life. When he begins leading the local church choir, his unconventional approach sparks resistance and small-town tensions, but the group gradually finds connection, confidence, and a renewed sense of community through music.
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2 hours to watch.
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Details
- Original title
- Så som i himmelen
- Years
- 2004
- Release date
- 2004-09-03
- Language
- Swedish
- Runtime
- 132 min
- Critic score
- 78/100
- TMDB rating
- 7.1/10 (192 votes)
About
You’ll likely enjoy this if you want an uplifting, music-driven small-town drama with romance, humor, and emotional themes, in the spirit of The Commitments or Begin Again; Not for you if you dislike melodrama, clichés, or overt moral messages.
Pros: heartfelt community story; memorable choral moments; relatable small-town characters | Cons: predictable plot beats; heavy-handed sentiment; some broad stereotypes
Themes
- underdog
- dying and death
- mentally disabled
- individual
- secret love
- concert
- heart attack
- loss of loved one
- suppressed past
- pastor
- village
- sweden
- +5 more
Awards & recognition
- Tromsø International Film Festival's audience award · 2005
- Academy Award — Best International Feature Film · 2005 · nominated
- European Film Award — Best Composer · 2005 · nominated
- European Film Award - People's Choice Award — Best Director · 2005 · nominated
- International Submission to the Academy Awards · 2005 · nominated
Cast & crew
Michael Nyqvist
as Daniel Daréus
Frida Hallgren
as Lena
Helen Sjöholm
as Gabriella
Lennart Jähkel
as Arne
Ingela Olsson
as Inger
Verena Buratti
as Loredana
- UN
Ulla-Britt Norrman-Olsson
as Amanda
Per Morberg
as Conny
Barbro Kollberg
as Olga
Niklas Falk
as Stig
Directed by Kay Pollak