Hereafter

Clint Eastwood’s look into the controversial topic of mediums and life after death presents a subtle medley of strong characterization and human emotion. The plot follows three individuals from different parts of the world. Matt Damon plays George, a psychic medium attempting to escape his ability. Across the world, tsunami survivor Marie investigates a vision she has at her moment of near death. And the third storyline follows Marcus, a young boy coping with the loneliness of losing a loved one.

Due to the obvious connections between stories, it is apparent that the three protagonists will become intertwined at some point. However, at times the stylization defuses the emotional connection made with the characters. For example, experiencing Marcus’ numbing sadness loses its grip when the viewer doesn’t see him for the next 20 minutes. Individually, the pieces are sturdy enough to stand on their own as short features. Thanks in large part to the powerful performances of the three leads; the tales play at the audience’s sympathy to great success. Damon emerges as the most likeable of the characters even with the other two facing more sudden and tragic events. The simple pleasures in his life, like his interest in Mark Twain are so genuine that the viewer constantly feels a connection to George and a fondness to his calm demeanor.

Part of Hereafter’s overall intricacy lies in how very subtle everything develops. There is no quick resolve. Among the more noticeable themes present, the frequent instance of flowers, usually at flower stands, is a sign of life among the death. Sometimes this theme is foreboding and diminutive, but other times it appears as a vision for hope. The film’s resolution proves the latter. Hereafter is an accomplishment of patient storytelling. Eastwood never goes over the top with his filming techniques preferring a more classic Hollywood approach. Plus something must be said of the incredible tinting that gives a softness to the entire movie. This is an unmatched quality of Eastwood’s films that connects the events on the screen to the real physical world with a sincerity to truth. (9.4 out of 10)