Despite the risk of sounding hyperbolic, we don’t think anyone would disagree thatRoger Ebertis one of the most important film critics that the world has ever had the pleasure to read. Ebert holds an important place in the world of cinema as his voice rang true from his first review of the filmGaliain 1967 until hisunfortunate passing in 2013.
So much so that his impact on film criticism can be felt to this day. Given this, it’s easy to see why people tend to take his film recommendations seriously. This is doubly true when Ebert himself deems a film to be one of thegreatest of all time. Indeed, someone with Ebert’s keen eye and brilliant mind certainly had a good idea about what made a great film.
And out of all the films that Ebert loved, Errol Morris' documentaryGates of Heavenstands out and deserves a closer look. The film revolves around two pet cemeteries in California: the Foothill Pet Cemetery and the Bubbling Well Pet Memorial Park. The film is told without narration and minimal outside intervention. It’s composed of multiple interviews with people who were involved in these two pet cemeteries and the pet owners themselves. These interviews are arranged in a way that forms a cohesive narrative.
While the film may seem simple, this couldn’t be further from the truth.Gates of Heavenexplores the experience of grief, of love, and the human condition. If the film has piqued your curiosity, and you want to learn more about why Ebert loved the film so much, then we’ve got just the thing for you.
Gates of Heaven Is Infinitely Rewatchable
Not only did Ebert love the film, but he also rewatched it a number of times. Ebert claimed that he had watchedGates of Heavenaround 30 timesand was still unsure if he had completely understood it or not. While this may seem rather odd for a movie with such a simple premise, the first thing that you need to understand is thatGates of Heavenis about a lot more than just some pet cemeteries and grieving pet owners.
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Not only does the film merit a rewatch, but each rewatch imparts something new to the audience. This can be attributed to the complex themes that the film expertly navigates. Rarely are audiences ever exposed to films that can handle the subjects of grief and love as subtly and as deftly asGates of Heaven.
Multiple Layers of Meaning
Speaking of understanding the film, another thing that makes the film so great is that it has multiple layers of meaning. While you may certainly approachGates of Heavensimply as a movie about the logistics of owning a pet burial business, audiences would be doing themselves a huge disservice by not delving into the existential conversations that the film is having. The film truly shines when audiences dig a little deeper and try to see it in the same way asEbert saw it: a sometimes happy yet sometimes sad film about the complexities of the human experience.
What’s really impressive about the film is the way that it’s able to delve deep into philosophical and existential explorations in a manner that’s easily understandable. A great example of this is when a woman in the film laments, “Your dog’s dead. But where’s the thing that made it move? It had to be something, didn’t it? There’s your spirit, there it is.”
While some may say that this is a rather crude way to put it, what she’s really getting at here is the interrogation of our own mortality. She’s asking a question that we may never know the answer to: where do we go when we die?
Another poignant momentin the film is when the owner of the Foothill Pet Cemetery talks about how pets are put on this Earth with only two responsibilities, “to love and be loved.” In a way, this harkens back to the human desire for love and connection — a desire that’s clearly represented in the film.
An Honest Approach to Documentary Filmmaking
One of the best things about the film is its dedication to an honest approach to documentary filmmaking. Given its premise, it could have gone in a completely different direction. Ebert, on the film review showSneak Previews, highlights how the film could have been “a series of shots at easy targets” but chose not to do so as the film has a good grasp and understanding of human nature. It refuses to punch down despite the inherent absurdity of the subject at hand. The film declines to indulge in the cinematic equivalent of low-hanging fruit by refusing to make the people in it the butt of the joke.
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The film’s unrelenting dedication to truthful documentary filmmaking can be attributed to its director.In an interview with Criterion, Errol Morris scoffs at the idea that there is one true and “correct way to tell a story.” He even jokes that he has taken all of the tenets of cinéma vérité and just checked them out the window. Morris believes that to get to the truth, one must “investigate, look, think, and study” in hopes of learning something about the world that you didn’t know before. He rejects the idea that there is a checklist wherein you need to tick all the boxes in order to arrive at the truth.
Oftentimes, films don’t arrive at the truth simply because the people behind them allow their preconceived notions to get in the way of things. Another reason is ego as some filmmakers are already convinced they know better and are the sole purveyors of the truth. BecauseGates of Heavendoesn’t fall into these traps and understands what needs to be done, it allows for something truly special to happen within its 83-minute runtime.
