Certainly A Departure

Rating: 10/10 (12 June 2009)

A meditation on death that's startlingly different from a plethora of similar films on the subject. Daigo, a cellist in an orchestra, loses his job after its dissimilation. Fate forces him to move back to his hometown and eventually take a job as a mortician. As Daigo grows to respect the noble work that so many shun, he is forced to confront the past in the form of his father, who abandoned him as a child, and the growing disdain of his wife on the job he has taken up. Everything about this film is masterfully done. From the taut script, which allows the camera to convey much of the dialogue, to the remarkable understated performances by the cast, and Joe Hiasishi's silently swelling scoreevery element falls into place perfectly. The subject matter is handled with the utmost care, careful to be tasteful and not too serious or light. Even so, Departures managed to make me smile, think, and cry at relative intervals. At its core, it's a film with a universal message, that says: Mistakes, human differences, and even death should be embraced rather than scowled upon. Because really, aren't we all hurtling towards the same ultimate destiny? Memories are easily altered or forgottenit's the moments that are precious, in every lifetime, from this one to the next.