Hereafter

Have you ever awakened in the middle of a very vivid dream, and then in a state of semi-consciousness tried to hold on to the images and construct some kind of meaning or understanding from them? The more you try to retain the pictures, the harder it is to arrange them in some kind of configuration. You try to work quickly because the memories are evaporating like mist, yet there is a certain peacefulness in the languid state of sleepiness. As you become more wakeful and start to lose the dream all together you begin to let go and move on with your day. By evening, the dream is pretty much gone and you only remember bits and pieces. Well, that’s how I felt watching the movie Hereafter.
 
I loved the slow measured pace in the beginning, but as one story became two, and then became three I had to work harder to keep all the parts together which caused me to concentrate more, thus losing that tranquil feeling. Since Matt Damon (Bourne Identity) was the only notable star in the film, (I’m not counting Bryce Dallas Howard -The Village- who was unrecognizable in dark hair), there were no familiar characters to help us along. One of the actors even spoke in French so you had to really pay attention in order to read subtitles. Once my brain started working overtime I lost the dream-like state and then the tone no longer worked for me. It was now too slow and I started thinking of other things like why was Clint Eastwood attracted to this subject matter? And why did he direct this film?
 
The movie tried to raise some questions and alluded to the fact that the scientific community does not take spiritual or after-life studies seriously. Illustrating that researchers in this area are often kept on the fringe and their work, to avoid ridicule, is privately funded. It also shows that there are a lot of charlatans in this area, although there are genuine studies as well. Whatever questions are raised, they are never really answered, because in this field things are hard to prove. So we are left with what we’ve known before. People need closure, assurance and peace. They want to know that life doesn’t end with death. And until we find our answers, our proof, we’ll each keep looking in our own way.
 
As a film, I think that Hereafter was only partially successfully. Overall it left me wanting and my enjoyment of the film was minimal. I would have liked to see a commitment to some ideal, even if it was only the filmmaker’s opinion. As is, I don’t know what this film is trying to say. By the end I don’t know what Eastwood believes and with this type of film I think it should have a stronger voice. Unlike other Eastwood films, this one is being kept in limited release, more like an independent film. This makes me believe that it is personal. I just wish I knew what he was trying to say.

Rating: Bargain Matinee Don’t go if you are tired, it will put you asleep