An oddly beautiful film about death....

Rating: 9/10 (1 January 2012)

I doubt that "Departures" would appeal to a mass audience. That's because while it is a beautiful and artistic film, it's also about death--a topic most folks are very hesitant to think about...let alone go to a theater to see. But, I strongly advise you to stick with the film--it's well worth seeing and I can see why this film received the 2009 Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.
Daigo is a nice man. But, the orchestra in which he plays has been disbanded and he needs a job. He answers an ad in the newspaper for a job he THINKS has to do with a travel agency--not realizing that the job entails doing funeral rituals. Now this part of the film requires a bit of explaining, as such jobs are completely unknown in the USA. Instead of the mortician just picking up a dead body for burial (or cremation in most cases, as that is the Shinto tradition), there are people whose job it is to ritually prepare the corpse in front of the family--a strange way to handle a wake by Western standards. Now I am NOT being critical of this service--in the film, it had an odd sort of beauty and artistry about it. It's just very different from how death is handled in this and western countries. To understand exactly what I mean and what this process is, the film shows several such preparations by Daigo and his very likable boss. What happens next? See it for yourself.
Now HOW can this turn into a good film? Well, the movie found a way to balance all this--with respect for the dead, not making the film too graphic and maintaining a healthy respect for the characters. And, the final thing is the most important--as you really like and respect the characters. And, the film is chock full of wonderful supporting characters. Overall, it's a very sweet and gentle film--one you really have to make yourself watch. After all, death is just a natural part of life--and the film handles the topic wonderfully.