The opening to this movie is stunning. A French broadcaster/journalist – played by Cecil de France – is vacationing in Indonesia with her producer, who is also her lover. She leaves him in the hotel and wanders out to the street market to buy gifts for his kids. While she’s paying for a bracelet, a tsunami hits. The sequence of scenes is flawless, every scene breathtaking, dramatic, and so realistic you feel your jaw clenching, your muscles tensing, and all you want to do is run fast, very fast. She dies and “has visions” before she’s resuscitated.
On the other side of the world, a factory worker in San Francisco – Matt Damon – is corralled into giving a reading for one of his brother’s top clients. Damon, we discover, used to be a celebrity medium, but gave it up because talking to the dead isn’t a life. He’s very much a loner, reluctant to touch other people because when he does, he sees their deepest secret, something so central to their existences that it’s a kind of violation. This ability is not conducive to personal relationships, as we learn when he takes an Italian cooking class and is attracted to his cooking partner.
In London, a young boy and his twin brother deal with a mother who is an alcoholic and heroin addict. Marcus, the youngest twin by 12 minutes, depends completely on his brother, Jason, who is as chatty and outgoing as Marcus is quiet and introverted. When Jason is killed, and Marcus’ mother enters rehab, social services place Marcus with a foster family. The boy’s raw emotions are profoundly real. His brother’s spirit prevents Marcus from getting on a train one morning in London – which explodes as soon as it pulls away into the tunnel. This scene, from the July 7, 2005 bombings in London, is harrowing.
Eastwood and the scriptwriter really explore who these people are, what makes them tick, why they do what they do. In essence, there are three stories with triumphs and despairs. Each of these characters needs closure and we know their lives are going to intersect at some point. The way that happens is deftly done. We didn’t see it coming.
This movie has the emotional underpinnings of another Eastwood movie, Mystic River. The deep character explorations add to that. The mystical elements are a bonus. There’s even a synchronicity. When the journalist discovers that her lover is sleeping with the woman who took her place at the station, she makes reference to the fact that she wouldn’t have had her NDE if he had gone shopping for gifts for his kids.
If we have one gripe about the film, it’s a simple thing. The movie’s title comes from the name of the book that the French journalist eventually writes about what she experienced when she died. But her NDE in the movie consists of little more than light with blurred silhouettes, murmurings, more lights and blurred shadows. This scene should have given us a more detailed glimpse of the hereafter, some substance.
But The Lovely Bones, based on Alice Sebold’s bestselling novel, did the same thing. In that movie, the hereafter consisted mostly of a playground where the young girl spends her time while watching her family. What Dreams May Come, a movie with Robin Williams based on the novel by Richard Matheson, explores the afterworld in depth, but has heavy religious overtones about heaven and hell.
Eastwood’s reluctance to add detail to the journalist’s NDE is perhaps best expressed by Roger Ebert in The Chicago Sun-Times: “His film embodies how love makes us need for there to be an afterlife.”
While we thoroughly enjoyed the movie, we wondered if Eastwood had consulted any mediums about visions of the hereafter. We’re sure that some of the folks who frequent this blog could have guided him in creating other-worldly scenes that would have rivaled the excellent opening of the film.
Here's an interesting interview with Clint Eastward about the Hereafter;
https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE69D3FM20101014
Sansego, did you notice that the note from Trish and Rob was comment #22? Anyway, thank you, and I've sent you an email! Take a look at this absolutely weird WV:'maschri" chrismas? cj
sounds like the expo was great, Sansego! I'll give your email to cj.
CJ,
I wondered about you. I had to privatize my blog after I was let go from work because someone had taken an interest in my blog at my former place of employment, and I just learned today that one co-worker was called into the manager's office based on stuff that I wrote on my blog. They are paranoid for some reason, but they have every right to be. I know three things about the organization that could damage them if it became public knowledge.
If you have an email address, I can send you the link to my blog. Trish has my email address and they have my permission to give it to you. I wrote a review of "Hereafter" recently and had a great time at the Body, Mind, Spirit Expo on Saturday, where I sat through 7 different lectures (of 50 minutes each) on all kinds of spiritual topics.
Not sure when I'll make my blog public again, but likely after I find a new job. My former employers are too paranoid and now more interested in me than during the four years that I worked for them, that I need to keep my blog private for friends only.
Sansego, I miss being able to read your blog since you no longer allow Anon comments…altho of course I always sign my initials! Anyway, I miss reading your stuff! cj
Just saw the movie!!! Unbelievable… All the synchros! Confirmation that everything happens for a reason, including people we meet!
I live through so many… I love it!
Thevision she saw is very similar to what I've started to see in meditation. The boys urge to hear from his brother reminded me of my desire to hear from my sister….
I'm so happy they made this movie 😉
Xoxo ~ love your blog!
Jeni
Oddly enough, in spite of her name,
Cecile de France is not French. She's Belgium.
I just saw this movie Saturday night. Taken as a whole, I loved it…particularly the French portions (I'm so in love with French ladies!). There were so many good gems in the film. Especially the idea that its not necessarily a good thing to know someone's deepest secret and how that can scare someone away. Also, the fact that someone has to have a personal experience to really relate to someone else who is open minded to it. I knew the French lady's relationship with the producer was doomed when he showed a closed mindedness to her experience. I also liked the lady in Switzerland who admitted to being a closed minded atheist until she heard so many people from different cultural backgrounds describing the same things.
The "flaws" in the film were: (1) overall melancholy tone; (2) it moved a little slow; and (3) the short glimpses of the afterlife (blurry, gray, and brief). But none of these take away from the overall brilliance of the film. However, I can see people giving up on the film and walking out because of how slow it moves and the melancholy vibe, as well as it being darkly lit.
I think the best film that shows a glimpse of how the afterlife might look like is actually the "Star Wars Prequels". That's right! Particularly the scenes on Naboo (the city, the lake district) and the Jedi Library (with the glowing blue crystals of information). I long for the day when a movie set in the afterlife will use the level of George Lucas special effects like the Star Wars prequels.
Anyhow, what I loved most about "Hereafter" (besides Cecile de France) is the idea that a person can be "blacklisted" from the establishment class for showing an interest in spirituality or daring to speak publically (or writing) about it. This is the danger of secular society and I do see this snobbish air among some atheists I know. They respect my intelligence, but often poo-poo my spiritual beliefs like I'm an ignorant moron along the lines of a fundamentalist Christian or Muslim.
This movie needs to be seen by a lot of people, but because of its melancholy tone, I don't see that happening. When doing a movie that deals with death, I think its important to keep it from being sad and melancholy. People aren't going to want to see it, or if curiosity gets them in the door, the slow moving film might cause them to give up and walk out before the ending.
great in-depth review – one i'm sure unique to all others – it would be nice if those in the industry who have the $$ and the reputation would be willing to go that extra step, create that deeper view – in any event, still a must see for me – and thanks so much for the "real deal" review! 😉
Daz – thanks for the link. Will check it out. How come hereafter gets to australia so much later?? I'm in complete agreement with your about suicides.
Rainbow – you were on the crew? Lucky you!
Saw the Hereafter the past Tuesday. Special showing for the Maui cast and crew…Some of those camera shots were super. The one going down the spiral staircase was so complimented by the rug on the floor's design.
I was left wondering and believing in Love.
Vicki,
One thing I truly believe is that while it is tragic,to me someone who commits suicide will not go to hell or any other separate place to the rest of us,as some people believe.
I had a cousin that hung himself a few years back and I have known a few others that have taken their own life under tragic circumstances.I myself almost did it in my early 20's.I can understand what these people go through to some degree and while I'm not saying it is right,I'm not going to say it is wrong,either.
What's the difference between people who try to kill themselves and fail and the people who succeed ?
On a lighter note though,it's a strange feeling indeed when you see your body from another point of consciousness,when for all of your life you are just use to seeing it through the eyes in your head.Until somebody experiences that situation they'll probably never believe it's possible and who could blame them?
WV= outemine (out of mine)
Some would say out of your head more like it,but I know who will have the last laugh here .-)
Thanks for the review! Always looking for a good movie, and I was planning on this one anyway. Anything with Matt Damon and Clint Eastwood can't be all bad. I look forward to it. Thanks!!!
Trish,
To give you an idea,this is the top 20 films this week in OZ
No WIR Title
1 2 EAT PRAY LOVE (M), SONY PICTURES
2 1 THE TOWN (MA15+), WARNER BROS
3 1 RESIDENT EVIL: AFTERLIFE (MA15+), SONY PICTURES
4 6 DESPICABLE ME (PG), UNIVERSAL
5 1 LET ME IN (MA15+), ICON
6 3 DINNER FOR SCHMUCKS (M), PARAMOUNT
7 4 WALL STREET: MONEY NEVER SLEEPS (M), FOX
8 3 LEGEND OF THE GUARDIANS: THE OWLS OF GA`HOOLE (PG), ROADSHOW
9 7 TOMORROW WHEN THE WAR BEGAN (M), PARAMOUNT
10 5 EASY A (M), SONY PICTURES
11 2 BURIED (MA15+), ICON
12 6 THE OTHER GUYS (M), SONY PICTURES
13 4 THE GIRL WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE (MA15+)
14 5 THE LAST AIRBENDER (PG), PARAMOUNT
15 4 DIARY OF A WIMPY KID (PG), FOX
16 5 CATS & DOGS 2: THE REVENGE OF KITTY GALORE (G), ROADSHOW
17 6 THE SORCERER`S APPRENTICE (PG), WALT DISNEY
18 1 CHLOE (MA15+), ROADSHOW
19 13 INCEPTION (M), WARNER BROS
20 8 BOY (M), PARAMOUNT/TRANSMISSION
The WIR stands for weeks in release.
Daz you are so right about the differing points of view.
I have dealt with many departed souls and had a brief NDE myself and they all differ yet have many similarities.
One death though was very different, the suicide of one of my daughters friends. Her energy was different, very weak,
Yet she did come to me but with no remorse. There is so much more to her story but the main thing was that she came to me after her death and she was surrounded by loving guides.
In my NDE, I drowned at the age of 16, I did not get to the tunnel part. I was calm, happy, warm and someone with tremendous love stood behind me as we looked at the girl on the beach that the lifeguards were all working on. The person behind me asked me questions about what I saw,
how it felt to me and then I realized she looked a lot like me and I felt bad for her. I remember that I wanted to look at who was behind me but was gently redirected to keep looking at the girl on the beach and then BAM I was
looking up at the sky, coughing, in terrible pain because I could not breathe and was gasping as the lifeguards screamed out "Oh my god She's alive!"
It is still in my memory like it happened yesterday. I remember wondering what had happened. At the time in
the '70's I had not heard about NDE's. Later I realized that it must not have been my time.
Wv- blersess….. Blesses. – that sounds right!
I guess they're shipping the movie on a very slow steam ship from Hollywood to Australia.
Trish wrote that review, but I added the somewhat cheeky and self-serving line at the end about the blog.
Actually, Eastwood told Larry King that he intentionally avoided creating a deeper view of the other side, that he was uneasy about it.
For good reason, considering as Daz pointed out that what you see is not necessarily what others see. It's probably largely what you WANT to see or expect to see, at least at first until you 'wake up' to a larger reality and understand it's not only what you want to see, but what you created…and also whatever you want to create.
Of course, I'm showing my own beliefs in that comment. So that's probably only a slice of the picture.
One character in the movie, the producer-boyfriend, says when you die it's lights out. Poof! No more. That's it. He added that if there was an afterlife, someone would've discovered it by now.
So the atheist perspective got its lick in. And Jesus got one line while the kid was searching for answers on the Internet.
To the producer, I would say we've all 'discovered' the hereafter. We've just forgotten.
Can only echo what others have written, sounds like one to watch.
Sounds like a great movie!!
I'll be waiting with Daz, i guess.
Sounds like something I would very much like to see. 🙂
wv = rescarl ?
Could be a rascal. Me or Daz?……
Or Both!!
While we're talking movies,I would like to recommend a nice little Australian Movie which was filmed less than 100 miles from where I live.It's called "The Tree".
It has a hereafter theme and I saw it today at the cinema and think it's worth a viewing if you get the chance.
Here's a link to the trailer;
https://thetreefilm.com/
It may not make the cineplex in the States,but you might want to keep an eye out for it in the rental stores.
Sounds like a great movie,I have to wait until 03 February 2011,before it's released in Australia.
(By then I could be in the hereafter.-)
When you say;
"We're sure that some of the folks who frequent this blog could have guided him in creating other-worldly scenes that would have rivaled the excellent opening of the film."
I am sure they could,but it's a bit like trying to explain the USA to someone who has never even heard of it and you not really being that sure what you've just glimpsed yourself from the near USA experience that you just had.
Depending which part of the USA you personally experienced in your nearUSAexperience you could come back with stories of great deserts,massive skyscrapers,giant cartoony mice called Micky,snowfields,great beaches…and so on.
Then someone else who only experienced Vegas as their nearUSAexperience would probably say "I don't know what you've been smoking,but the USA is just all neon lights and showgirls".
It all comes down to which part of the Elephant you're holding as to how you would describe it to someone I guess.
Having said that,it would be great to hear some NDEs other readers of this site have had.
It's on my list for this weekend.
The movie sounds very interesting.