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In Reply to: RE: "Departures:" a young man loses his job in the city and returns to his hometown posted by TimTaylor on January 20, 2010 at 23:21:58
but I'd say the film primarily was about accepting death, its finality and irreversibility-- and not ignoring (as your comments may) its power. Once we are dead, words cannot reach our ears, nor smiles our eyes.
In Japan, those in that profession traditionally are seen as unholy, as dirty. So I think that, yes, one can make the case that the film is about the bigger picture but I think it's a mistake solely to look beyond the vehicle itself, the ceremony. Death is natural, its ceremonies are about facing it, NOT looking aside and trying to find solace in some facile explanation about the after life or life itself. Death is its own domain. I think the massive amount of care taken to make the dead presentable, attractive, peaceful, is to make death itself acceptable, not something to be hated, feared. This is a journey we all must make, only the departure time varies. What's to fear?
All that being said, I think the film had too many flaws to be "great." Those little surprises such as the demise of the dad, the stone business, and the revealed identity of that geezer during the old lady's cremation ROCKET the film into the universe of melodrama and, well beyond it, into bathos. I did appreciate, and earlier fail to mention, the quiet and powerful performance of the old master.
Follow Ups:
I appreciate the poetry in your words, “Once we are dead, words cannot reach our ears, nor smiles our eyes” and “What’s to fear?”. These are points (or if you will the bigger picture) that I took from the film. Whether or not these are even remotely related to the film’s “purpose”, the vehicle or ceremony dignifies death as the inevitable end to the gift that is life. After the initial apprehension by our young practitioner, death itself became the evidence of a life that was treasured. I understand your take on the ceremonial significance of mortal acceptance. I guess I more or less found what I wanted to to see. Considering the title of the movie is “Departures”, I am sure your point of view reflects the true gist of the film.
I thought the dad and the geezer were rewarding tidbits of the story. Thanks for the discussion.
adds immensely to my enjoyment of the film itself. There is something about putting feelings or thoughts into words that adds an emotional depth. Anyhow, I'm sure you're a devotee of Koreeda's films? If not, I'd certainly recommend all of them.
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