review by Jacob Olsen Patron
After Life 1999
Watched Apr 15, 2012
Jacob Olsen’s review:
I wonder, how many can honestly say after watching this, that they didn't spend at least a few minutes trying to pick that one memory?
It's hard to review this film shortly after watching it for the first time. It's beautiful in so many ways. For instance I really like that they aren't simply able to pull that single memory from people's minds, but have to recreate it manually. I like that they keep scenes from actual lives on video cassettes but the memories are created on film. I like that the people working there, formerly unable to help themselves has to to spend eternity helping others. There isn't a single character that I didn't associate with. And I simply loved the two older ladies. Finally, the part with the two men sharing a relationship with the same woman is handled really well.
I sometimes kick myself mentally for not having seen this and that film way earlier. But why do that? I've decided now to be happy knowing that I still have lots and lots of brilliant films yet to experience.
One fun fact is that several of the interviews you see in the movie are real - just regular people pulled off the street and interviewed, giving us their one memory. These are interspersed with the staged interviews with actors, and you can't really tell which are which. Unsurprisingly, Koreeda comes from a documentary background.
This is one of my all time favourite films so it always pleases me when others love it too.
Nice background info Geir, thanks!
That's fabulous. I gleaned from the Produced/Directed/Edited credit that it was probably a shoestring budget, and that info makes it all the more wonderful.