"In the Eye of the Storm," the real-life account of the experiences of LDS General Authority John H. Groberg when he was a teenager serving a church mission to the Kingdom of Tonga, would make a great film.

"The Other Side of Heaven," a good-looking but rather superficial adaptation of Elder Groberg's novel, is not that film.

Not that it's terrible, mind you. In fact, the film's pleas for racial tolerance, compassion and service without expectation of reward are messages we need in these trying times. And during this weak cinematic year, a live-action movie you can actually take the whole family to is a welcome sight.

But compared to what "The Other Side of Heaven" could have been — should have been — this drama is definitely something of a disappointment. We have probably come to expect little depth in most films, but considering the promising source material here, this one should do more than simply skim the surface.

Television actor Christopher Gorham ("Popular") stars as the teenage Groberg, who is attending Brigham Young University in 1953 when he receives his mission call. Obviously, he's excited, although it means he must leave behind his true love, Jean Sabin (Anne Hathaway, from "The Princess Diaries").

His exuberance will soon serve him well, however, as the naive missionary-to-be has no idea what's really waiting for him in Tonga — starting with the journey there, which takes him nearly three very trying months. And when he finally does arrive, there's nobody waiting there to aid him, except for Feki (Joe Folau), a local who becomes his mission companion.

Despite Feki's help, Elder Groberg has a lot of obstacles in his path, not the least of which is a language barrier — few of the Tongans speak English. And, of course, they're extremely skeptical about the odd newcomer in their midst.

However, the elder quickly proves his worth. First, he does some intensive study to learn the language. Then when a tropical storm threatens to destroy the island, he's there to offer aid and comfort.

He must also stay true to Jean, who's busy fighting off suitors of her own. And their long-distance commitment could be in real trouble when it appears that his mission could be extended.

Admittedly, this is a handsomely mounted production that belies its $8 million budget — which may be large by independent-film standards, but which is extremely low for the industry as a whole. Especially impressive are the storm effects (nearly rivaling those in the much-pricier major-studio film "The Perfect Storm").

And to his credit, filmmaker Mitch Davis has filled out his cast with appealing fresh faces. As Groberg, Gorham has charm, though his too-good-to-be-true portrayal makes the character a bit bland. He's well-matched with Hathaway, who has to make their relationship seem believable without much screen time together.

The biggest surprise is Folau, a charismatic newcomer whose presence would be welcome again.

"The Other Side of Heaven" is rated PG for violence (forces of nature), brief mild vulgarity (a flatulence gag) and brief gore. Running time: 114 minutes.

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E-MAIL: jeff@desnews.com