After Life

Yet another great film courtesy of Japan.

What memory do you have that is so special you would be content reliving that event over and over again for all of eternity? That is the basic concept behind the 1998 Japenese film “After Life”, directed by Hirozaku Koreeda. The story takes place in a limbo between death and eternity, in a world that looks exactly like our own. The newly departed arrive in a small facility operated by a handful of staff members who serve to help the Dead decide upon a single memory that they will take with them into the after life.

Shot in a pseudo-documentary style, with fixed cameras and a cast of primarily non-actors, much of the dialog is improvised as the cast members talk directly to the audience about memories from their life. The conflict, if it can be called that, arises from two individuals, a spunky young man and a quaint old man, both unable to decide upon a final memory to take with them. Meanwhile behind the scenes staff members deal with the drama of helping the Dead, while coming to terms with why they could not choose any memories from their own lives, thus forcing them to become stuck in limbo for eternity.

To create the memories in question, the staff take on the roles of set designers and film directors, reconstructing the memories from found objects - cotton balls become clouds in a man's memory of piloting his airplane, fans mimic wind, and a fake cockpit is brought in. What surprised me is that the authenticity of the memories is never brought into question; The Dead work alongside the staff, giving them tips and feedback on how closely the look of the set matches their own memory, and when the time finally comes to 'shoot' the scene, the subject of the memory takes their place in the frame and everything seems to fall into place.

As I said in my review of the Japanese film "Survive Style 5+", these are films that would otherwise never see the light of day in Hollywood's studio system. "After Life" is a simple film, and as fragile as the memories that it depicts. And like those reconstructed memories, it takes a keen eye and a nurturing staff to make sure everything comes together perfectly, and it is this familial quality of patience that is lacking in most modern American movies.

Last I checked, “After Life” is available on Netflix, though my friend's dad claims otherwise, and may also go by the Japanese title “Wandafuru Raifu”, translation: Wonderful Life.