Note that since the story stems from death and thereby loss, it can be a tad depressing to watch, although at the end of it all (and having shed some tears) it did end on a hopeful note. Post-watch describing it, the word which comes immediately to mind, is gentle. It is a gentle, nuanced film, handled very, very delicately. It has a deliberate pace, and takes it’s time wending its way around the many facets which give this film its rhythm. I’m quite in awe that Clint Eastwood, the director of films such as “Gran Torino” crafted this wonderful film, since it is so different from his “regular” genre.
Damon, as the unwilling psychic, is quite delectable; he is slow and dithering here, just as he is the reverse in his overtly “macho” films. France as Zelay, the heavily accented Frenchwoman, who has her life turned around by her near-death experience, is marvelous too. And the young actors, Frankie and George McLaren, are a treat to watch.
Although I have watched films which seem to have unrelated threads run through them, only to have them come together later, in “Hereafter” it was not immediately clear that this was indeed happening. The film seemed to flow of its own accord; there did not seem to be a definite beginning or an end. It is probably the mark of a deft director, one so very sure of his skill, that the film continued engagingly (I was completely absorbed) in spite of its pace, and when it did finish it brought closure, and a sense of comfort and familiarity that I did not know, as a viewer, that I needed.
This film might not be everyone’s cup of tea, since it is not a “commercial” venture. It demands of you, your time and patience, and in return it gives you the opportunity to view a thing of beauty. Highly recommended.
