Think of the last film you watched. Was it a comedy? Maybe a drama, or an action flick. Perhaps it was even a combination of several genres, a sci-fi horror or a musical thriller, that kind of thing is quite common. However, the last film I saw completely defies definition and therefore I can't answer that question. It was just Afterlife.
Occasionally a film like this comes along with such a fantastic premise that it is completely unlike anything that has come before. It doesn't follow any of the well used paths trodden by previous pictures and is so unique that it cannot create a new genre, there's simply no bandwagon for anyone to jump on. The only thing it can possibly have in common with other films is its singularity; you could think of it as a Japanese Being John Malkovich.
The inspired question posed is if you could choose just one memory from your life that you would relive for eternity, what would it be? The film follows a group of people trying to decide on their own personal heaven and includes several diverse characters, showing how different each person is and even answering such questions as what if you couldn't or even wouldn't choose? Watching them re-examine their life is by turns poignant, upsetting and uplifting. Meanwhile the plot that maintains the film's momentum, involving the councillors who help people choose their nirvanal afterlife, is great and ensures that the film never loses direction.
I would struggle to put into words exactly why this film has such an effect on me. It is a thought provoking concept so well delivered by all involved, with such a great examination of people and what makes them different or brings them together, and also brings up themes such as responsibilty and the same event meaning different things to different people. However, there is one thing I can say for certain. If I had to pick a film to relive for eternity it wouldn't be a drama, or a thriller, or a comedy. It would just be Afterlife. |
