After Life (1998)

After Life (1998)

A quiet and meditative fable that finds comfort in the simplest experiences

7.8

Movie

Japan
Japanese
Drama, Fantasy
1998
HIROKAZU KORE-EDA
Akio Yokoyama, Arata Iura, Erika Oda
118 min

What it's about

On a cold Monday morning, a group of counselors clock in at an old-fashioned social services office. Their task is to interview the recently deceased, record their personal details, then, over the course of the week, assist them in choosing a single memory to keep for eternity.

The take

While it would be easy to make comparisons to The Good Place and other shows and films dealing with the afterlife, Hirokazu Kore-eda's film is devoted to a single thing: commemorating the ordinary moments that make our life precious. Through little more than workplace banter and documentary-style interviews (with an ensemble delivering uncannily naturalistic performances), After Life reminds us how beautiful the mundane can be and how important it is for us to be present for each other in the everyday. And as the fim's characters prepare to create reenactments of each person's most precious memory, Kore-eda also defines filmmaking itself as an act of comfort and empathy. No existential crises here; an overwhelming sense of peace floods After Life, making it all the more memorable.

Comments

Add a comment

What did you think? Who should watch it?

UP NEXT 

UP NEXT 

UP NEXT 

Can You See Us? (2023)

Zambia makes its debut on Netflix with this moving drama about a boy with albinism

7.3

Moon Students (2023)

A white savior story masquerading as an empowering film

5.0

Rohan at the Louvre (2023)

A riveting supernatural mystery contemplating Japanese art in relation to the world

8.2

No One Will Save You (2023)

Kaitlyn Dever is outstanding in this near-silent horror film that demands your full attention

7.0

Bottle Rocket (1996)

Wes Anderson’s debut might lack the meticulous visual style he's synonymous with, but it's full of the charm and understated emotion we love him for

7.8

Jaane Jaan (2023)

A Hindi thriller that keeps the suspense of Japanese novel

7.6

The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020)

A star-studded and riveting legal drama with a blockbuster feel.

9.1

The Guilty (2018)

A minimalist, razor-sharp thriller that will have you gasping for air.

9.0

How to Deal with a Heartbreak (2023)

An unremarkable story about one girl’s journey towards love, success, and happiness

5.0

Smoke (1995)

A gorgeous indie gem whose every note is worth inhaling

8.7

Curated by humans, not algorithms.

agmtw logo

© 2023 agoodmovietowatch, all rights reserved.