HEREAFTER
US, 2010, 122 minutes, Colour.
Matt Damon, Cecile De France, Frankie and George Mc Laren, Bryce Dallas Howard, Jay Mohr, Richard Kind, Thierry Neuvic, Derek Jacobi, Marthe Keller, Lindsey Marshall, Niamh Cusack, George Costigan.
Directed by Clint Eastwood.
An impressive film for audiences who like to reflect on the themes of their movies.
The credentials are impressive. The screenplay was written by Peter Morgan, best known for his political dramas like The Queen, The Special Relationship, The Last King of Scotland and Frost/Nixon. He has gone in a very different direction this time, a more meditative approach to his storytelling.
Very interesting that Clint Eastwood should choose to direct the film – and was in production when he turned 80 in May 2010. It is movie-making by an old man who is control of his skills but is thinking thoughts beyond this world. He is exploring themes of near-death experience, the possibilities of an afterlife and of communicating with those who have died.
Clint Eastwood has been directing for over 40 years as well as developing a screen personal for longer: an iconic western figure in the spaghetti westerns, the Dirty Harry policeman in that series as well as the symbolic gunfighters in his ‘religious’ westerns. He brought this acting career to a close with his coach and issues of assisted suicide in Million Dollar Baby and his gruff Walt, a dirty harry figure who finds self-sacrificing redemption. (After that, he made the tribute to Nelson Mandela, Invictus.)
The opening of Hereafter is quite overwhelming, action before the reflection. The re-creation of the tsunami in Thailand received an Oscar nomination. But, the film settles down to tell three very different stories.
The structure of the film is quite schematic. Sections of each story are told in regular turn until, in a pleasing way, the three central characters are brought together in London.
It should be said that Hereafter has quite a European feel to it rather than a glossy Hollywood style. That and the seriousness of the subject of the Hereafter might account for the film not doing very well at the US box-office.
The first story is set in Paris and concerns a TV journalist and host (Cecile de France) who tries to come to terms with what she experienced in almost drowning. It affects her relationships, he work and sends her to Switzerland to consult an expert on near-death (Marthe Keller).
The second story is set in San Francisco. Matt Damon works in a factory. We learn that he has powers, mysterious to him as well as to others, whereby he knows matters about a person by touching them. He regrets these powers and the effect they have had on his life and resists the attempts of his brother (Jay Mohr) to make a business out of the phenomenon. There is an episode where a young woman (Bryce Dallas Howard) who does a cooking course with George and she finds out more than she anticipated or wanted.
The third story is set in London. Twins live with their addict mother, trying to shield her from social workers. When one of the twins is killed in an accident and the other is sent to foster care, he wants to know more about his brother whom he senses is always with him. Frankie and George Mc Laren play the twins as recognisably ordinary boys.
It might seem impossible for the three central characters to meet but they do, not in an overtly contrived way, but satisfyingly. George’s love for Charles Dickens’ novels is an important factor. He listens to tapes of the novels (read by Derek Jacob whom he meets at the London Book Fair).
Clint Eastwood shows great sensitivity in dealing with the themes and in the performances he gets from the central figures.
This is a film to surrender to and it will be richly rewarding.
(The French film, Et Apres...? (Afterwards, 2009) with Romain Duris and John Malkovich, would serve as an interesting companion film to Hereafter, different but touching on similar themes.)
1. The title, expectations? Life after death? Belief, non-belief, rationalism, sceptics?
2. The work of Clint Eastwood, his career, age? His experience, tenderness, interest in the afterlife? Sharing this experience? His contributing to the score, the piano and its tones?
3. Peter Morgan, his political scripts, his writing of this screenplay? Thematic interest?
4. The structure: the three strands, the schematic rotation of the chapters, the parallels in the characters’ experience, finally bringing them together? The locations, the detail? Thailand, France, the United States, Switzerland, London?
5. The introduction, the calm of the Asian holiday, Marie and Didier, on holidays, their relationship, his children? The beach, the stalls, the shopping? The placid way of life? The suddenness of the wave, its overwhelming effect, sweeping people from the beach, going down the streets, the stalls, the trees, the vehicles? The close-up of people, of Marie, underwater, her being hit by the vehicles? The audience being immersed in the tsunami as well as the characters?
6. Marie’s story, her TV career, with Didier as producer, the affair, going shopping, buying gifts for his children, the encounter with the girl at the store? The tsunami, running from the wave, trying to save the little girl, her experience underwater, the near-death or death experience? The men reviving her? Her wandering the beach, finding Didier again, the heartfelt embrace? Back to Paris, her reputation, her job, the posters around the city? Returning to work, the crew’s applause, the interview, her being distracted, not asking harsh questions? The recommendation for time off? Her not feeling the need? The proposal for the book about Mitterand? The book, the meeting, her explanations? Her experience, home alone, going to the website, discovering Claudia, driving to Switzerland, her seeing the dying people, the family with them? Her talking with Claudia, Claudia’s own experience, sceptical, the research, people’s experiences, science? The manuscripts and the records? Her writing the book, the reaction of the publishers, the phone call, sending the copies to the United States? The meal with Didier, the new anchor, her anger at the restaurant, leaving? The invitation to go to the book fair?
7. George Lonegan, his relationship with his brother? Their discussions, the client, the client and the reading, holding the client’s hand, the visuals and the musical score to indicate some kind of connection? George and the simplicity of his reading, asking the questions, yes or no replies? The issue of June? The client’s explanation of June to Billy? George and his resistance, the past and the readings, its effect on him? His work at the factory, the prospect of layoffs, going to the cooking classes, Tony, the welcome, Melanie and talking with her? The other students, the classes, the work, the blind tastings? Going out with Melanie, her asking for a reading, pressurising him, the connection, the truth, her not wanting to hear the truth? Her weeping on the steps? The woman coming to ask for a reading and his rejection? The interview, his being laid off? His listening to the records of Dickens? His exhilaration about Dickens and praising him to Melanie? Billy, the plans, the setting up of the office, the advertising, George and his leaving, going to London, following the Dickens path? The tour of Dickens’ house, his knowing all the answers, the happiness of the Dickens tour?
8. The twins, the photo being taken, Marcus and Jason, Jason in his cap, talking, Marcus as silent, admiration for Jason? At home, doing the homework, copying or not? Their mother’s arrival, their concern, her drugs and drinking? Their love for their mother? The social workers coming, their pretending that she had gone shopping, getting their mother to go out and come back, as if she were shopping? The talk with the social workers? Jason, taking the prescription? In contact through phone with Marcus? Marcus and the internet, trying to find out the prescription and its meaning? The group of boys, tormenting Jason, pursuing him, his running onto the street, his death? Marcus hearing it, his hurrying, taking Jason’s cap? The mother going into rehabilitation? The social workers and their concern, the introduction to the foster parents, their kindness, the other foster child going to work – and seeing him at the book fair and his success? The room, Marcus and the wanting the extra bed, wearing Jason’s cap, wishing him goodnight? Going to school, the classes, his sullenness, the teacher’s concern? Stealing the money, his internet searches, going to the range of people channelling the dead, the phoneys, genuine – and the film sending these people up? His return, the parents taking him to the book show, his wandering, seeing Marie, meeting George, talking with him, waiting outside his hotel, the reading, George and his response, Jason’s messages, the cap, to be himself? His giving the information to George about Marie’s hotel?
9. Each of the three, coming together, George and the book-signing, listening to Marie reading? The boy and his mediation? George and Marie meeting at Covent Garden?
10. The title, the themes, human intimations of immortality? People’s experiences, on the record, scientific response, the religious response, the insight into near-death experiences, the light in the darkness, the shadowy existence, other people? Weightlessness? Communication? The role of mediums? The possibilities – and human hopes?
