Hereafter

Hereafter features three stories that revolve around the topic of death and life after death. The first involves a French survivor of a tsunami who has a near death experience. The second is about a young British school boy who loses his twin brother. The third features Matt Damon who plays an American with psychic abilities. These three stories take place in different countries but they are all woven together and eventually they meet one another in London for the culmination of the movie.

Hereafter is a slow paced drama but there are a couple disturbing action sequences involving a tsunami and a subway bombing. This movie deals with the afterlife and how death affects people, but it is still quite vague and doesn't preach any particular doctrine or give any concrete answers to the audience.

Damon gives a great performance of a psychic who is afflicted with a gift to communicate with the dead which he refers to as a curse. I appreciated the fact that he isn't mysterious or mystical. He doesn't hold a seance and it's not creepy, it's just an average guy who is straight forward and business like as he relays messages from the dead to their loved ones.

The saddest part of this movie was the story about a young boy who loses his twin brother. It was gut wrenching to see how depressing and lonely this boy's life was with no family support as he searched for a way to try and get his brother back. I'm glad this movie addressed the charlatan aspect of mediums who prey on desperate and vulnerable victims. I've heard some of them on the radio over the years and have just rolled my eyes at how blatantly predatory and clueless they are.

I really liked this movie. I can't remember the last time I was not impressed with a Clint Eastwood film. This was not a huge hit at the box office and it has its critics, but I really enjoyed it. I give it 7.6 stars despite an abrupt ending.