Hereafter

Life after death. Yes. The big question. Here 80 year old maverick Clint Eastwood present us with a cinematic feast without arriving to any final conclusion. How could he? The first quarter of the film is riveting, compelling, jaw dropping. Then, Matt Damon takes over. Let me be clear, I think he is a good, competent actor but I can't, ever, divorce myself from the actor and marry the character. I'm far too aware of his "acting" I have the feeling that Eastwood hires his actor and lets them to their own devices. Sometime that's a good thing but some others, like here and "Changeling" it is clear that more direction of actors was needed. Specially the children. Here as it was the case in "Changeling" the children seem kind of lost. Bryce Dallas Howard makes a bizarre contribution to the film. Unconvincing and down right annoying. And, I must say, I miss opening credits. I hope this fashion ends quickly. The appearance of Martha Keller took me out of the picture. I recognized the face but I couldn't put a name to it. The nagging thought distracted me away from the story. A problem that, with opening credits, could easily have been avoided. I'm rambling. I liked the film and Eastwood should be applauded. Still exploring, still taking risks. Well done!

Hereafter is a slow, quiet study on the effect that death and the dearly departed have on the living. 

It's not really a ghost story or even a very supernatural movie. The three main characters each have felt death's power in different ways in their life. George (Matt Damon), a man who can contact the deceased, has fled from his abilities because they keep him from having a normal life. Marie (Cecile de France) is a journalist who has a near-death experience during a tsunami, and becomes consumed with understanding what she saw. And in London, a young British boy is desperate to contact a lost family member one last time. 

The three separate stories do eventually connect, but that's not really where the value of Hereafter lies. I can see this film being a source of frustration for some viewers eager for a traditional conflict and resolution or character arc, but those things aren't really Eastwood's priority.The movie doesn't have much of a "point", other than how death is such an important part of all of our lives, even as it's also probably the most mysterious. 

I liked it, but I'm hesitant in recommending it. Slow-paced movies like these need the right audience. It's fairly different from Eastwood's other movies, and I wouldn't mind seeing him tackle something like this, again.

Clint Eastwood likes to make his films slow paced and this can be annoying at times. In my opinion Sands of Iwo Jima was boring and Grand Torino was overly sentimental but with Hereafter he was the right man for the job. The pacing is perfect with the story unfolding in just the right way, eliciting just the right emotions at just the right time (the opening scene is genuinely terrifying) and giving us enough time to think and absorb without ever boring us.

As for Matt Damon, this is a masterpiece. There are so many depths and subtleties to this role and Mr Damon gets it all. George Lonegan is a creepy haunted loner with poor social skills, not in spite of but *because* he's a big hearted person who cares too much. And Damon *gets* that, and shows it, you can see it in every frame of the movie, even when he's not moving a muscle. I know this movie won't be for everyone but this performance is one of the greats, a real tour de force of subtlety.

Lastly, the writing, the story is something not seen often enough these days, a thoughtful movie about a complex and emotive subject that doesn't treat the audience like idiots. There are a lot of questions unanswered here, and that's alright, there should be. This movie isn't about answers or some kind of payoff, it's about guiding the viewer through the story's of three people with very interesting perspectives so that we can all feel our way though it together. I love that the writers trust us to do that and don't try to force feed us a "message" or a moral.

A great thoughtful film about a difficult subject that will leave you feeling good, as long as you're not expecting to be spoon fed.

This drama is about three lonely people each living in different countries whose lives become indelibly connected in an unforseeable, yet touching way. The story centers on Matt Damon, an American, who apparently has the psychic ability of contacting the recently departed, however, he believes that this "gift" is a "curse" because it renders him a social outcast. There is also a French woman who has a near death experience and a troubled British boy grieving over the loss of a loved one.

I am not a firm believer in a hereafter life or psychic abilities, and what is great about this movie is that it addresses these issues in an intelligent way without asking the audience to debate their existence. Instead, it focuses on the characters and how these issues affect their lives. There is nothing cheap or gimmicky about this movie. It simply tells a touching story without being overly sentimental. Clint Eastwood delivers a great picture and Matt Damon an excellent performance. The round-out cast deserves a big-hand as well. Keep in mind that this is a character drama and, like cooking a good sauce, takes its time to develop a richness. So if you're the type of person who only responds to immediate sensory gratification, this movie might not be for you.

This film tells the story of three people who have different degrees of experiences with death.

The subplot about the kid is particularly heart wrenching. I find the story gripping. Just as expected, Clint Eastwood delivers yet another thought provoking and emotional film again.