Heartfelt

Rating: 9/10 (11 October 2010)

This is one of those films that just grows on you. It starts out as a study of a young Japanese family that is facing an uncertain future with optimism. When the young man answers an ad in the employment section of the local newspaper and sees the word Departures, he assumes the job to be with a travel agency. What he ends up doing is preparing the recently departed for a ceremonial cleansing in front of the families. Apparently, even though a significant part of the burial (actually cremation) process, these people are frowned upon by their peers. Even the resilient wife of the young man finds what he does repulsive and leaves him for a time. As with all great movies, this is about redemption and characterization and it allows us to follow the career of one who expresses great love and respect for the dead. I was stunned at the overall tenderness of this film.