Hereafter. What's next? The subject has always been fascinating to me and is one that impacts all organic life. It's always a topic that offers much abstract conjecture, but little concrete fact. Hereafter is Clint Eastwood's latest directorial flick in which he touches on the afterlife in an ebb and flow of equally ethereal emotion. The story is told in three vignettes that slowly...well, EVER SO SLOWLY come together. At the story's core is Matt Damon. He plays George, a psychic whose special talent doesn't exactly have him jumping for joy. Actually, it's pretty much ruined his life. His profiteering brother, Billy (Jay Mohr) has had him hit the public circuit with dollar signs in sight. That's not George's style so he decided to back away from the limelight. With that, George has resigned to the docks of San Fran where he's just trying to piece together some semblance of a normal life. Next, is Marie LeLay (Cecile De France), a french broadcaster who has had a brush with the afterlife herself. Marie was caught up in (and under) a tsunami where she briefly left the flesh only to quickly return. This return and her short other worldly experience has prompted a fascination with the hereafter. Finally, there's Marcus (newcomers George and Frankie McClaren). Marcus' interest in the next life is sparked by the recent loss of his twin brother, Jason. From there, the three vignettes eventually merge; albeit at a glacial pace over the course of two plus hours.
It's an interesting concept. It's just not executed in an overly interesting way. It certainly sparks thought. You see, this psychic gift involves George forming a connection with an individual which enables him to hear the deceased. With that ability, George connects with people on their most intimate levels. Therefore, before knowing much more than their name, he's privy to their deepest and sometimes darkest secrets. It's sorta like your blind date, whose known for a great personality BTW, showing up at the restaurant butt naked. You just learn a little too much too soon and everything crumbles from there.
Further, people come to George in search of desperate hope. Unfortunately, being true to this gift/curse, George often delivers pain. People come to him seeking to further connect with a spirit of someone with whom they once held a very special human bond. Trying to connect with a spirit on a human level proves fruitless. Instead, they are forced to come to terms with the loss. Instead of a rekindled connection that brings peace and closure, they too often find the pain of emotional emptiness. The realization then sits in: a human connection is forever gone.
Yes, Hereafter is quite thought-provoking, but ultimately, I've got to give it 2.5 stars--on the negative side of so-so. Yes, I love Clint Eastwood and Matt Damon was his typical stellar self. De France, who is best known for her work in French cinema, and the debut of the brothers McClaren were all solid. However, the story, as fascinating as the subject matter, just laid flat throughout. It's a slow developing plot that, when it finally presents itself, well...it's like opening that long awaited Christmas present and finding socks. Yeah, you'll get some use out of them and they'll warm the cockles of your soles, but you were longing for something that would warm your soul. Bottom line: I was hoping for a little more. No need to see this Big Screen. If the subject matter intrigues you, rent it in March.
Well, I'm off to catch my Yankees in Game Six. Say a prayer for the pinstripers and enjoy your weekend.
True...out!
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