Outstanding, warm, funny, beautiful
- Departures review by CP Customer
I love the way this film is shot and how the story unravels. There are wonderful 'normal' people in this film. Ok, so it looks honestly at death - but this is the time where human emotions fire off in all directions. The subject worked well for the marvellous 'Six feet under' and it works well here too. So much. Wonderful performances, meticulously shot over the seasons. Fine attention to detail.
Must see
7 out of 8 members found this review helpful.
Excellent but Overlong
- Departures review by PV
I liked this - some good writing and characterisation. The first film I've ever seen about Japanese funeral rites, anyway!
The problem is that the film is just too long and the last third drags terribly. If the film had been 90 minutes, it would have been better. I also didn't understand why the main character;s wife was so hysterical because he was an undertaker. Baffling. Maybe it's like that in Japan...
Having said that, it's still an excellent and beautifully shot film.
1 out of 6 members found this review helpful.
Long look at death
- Departures review by Swambi
Yes,this is well filmed, but nevertheless I found it pretty depressing looking at over two hours of Japanese death and embalming rituals, which is what the film continually focuses on, without much else at all in the way of light relief.
0 out of 3 members found this review helpful.
sensitive and full of insight
- Departures review by EO
beautiful film and careful drawing out of how we can come to fulfil a destiny with a gift unsuspected, unlooked-for and maybe not even particularly wanted. The film is long bt the time well worth it.
0 out of 0 members found this review helpful.
Departures
- Departures review by PH
A Brilliant film. I am a long time viewer of Japanese films.
Totally absorbing in its view of a part of Japanese society and the sequences are totally unexpected.
I would watch again.
0 out of 0 members found this review helpful.
Wonderful characters! Made me laugh a lot.
- Departures review by JS
Made me laugh in the same way that humour shook us unexpectedly when my mother was dying. A very beautiful film. Death in close-up can be very life affirming and very far removed from the kind of death-by-violence diet that the film industry tends to churn out.
0 out of 0 members found this review helpful.