Hereafter

“Hereafter” is Clint Eastwood’s latest directorial effort, with a rather unexpected subject matter, a love story intertwined with the question of life after death. I knew going in that it was about tricky subject matter; but it wasn’t quite what you might expect or what that title might imply. Eastwood was very sly how he approached his theme; he doesn’t force any religious hokum down your throat and is more concerned with three individuals in an emotional and metaphysical crisis. His primary interest is showing the development of character. First there is George, the psychic (Matt Damon), who views his gift as more a curse than a blessing. And there is one episode in the story that demonstrates what he means. He gets involved with a woman he really likes, but when she insists he do a reading for her it ends in a disaster, for some sexual truths she didn’t want to hear were revealed. George never saw her again. Secondly, there is Marcus, a 10-year-old boy who has lost his twin brother, Jason. He runs through several pretenders and fakes who prey on the naïve and the desperate folks trying to connect with dead loved ones who left without resolution about something or other, which is driving the survivor nuts. Marcus is disconsolate over his loss, until finally he tracks down George. At first George runs from the boy but finally gives in and gives the boy a reading. Once he identifies Jason by holding Marcus’ hands, he tells the lad Jason said he couldn’t come home and Marcus is on his own now and he has to accept that. The contact provides Marcus with a closure. The third party in this triangulation is Marie, a successful anchor on a political television program in Paris. Her near-death experience happened in Thailand when the tsunami hit the coastal towns. She is swept away and when a board knocks her out she drowns or appears to drown, but two men pull her out of the water and perform CPR on her, and lo and behold she wakes up, spits out the water and survives. However, while “dead in the water” she had visions of a brightly lit but foggy otherworldly dimension that was filled with people who drift by. She is unable to return to her old political self, as she is haunted by the vision she had. Finally, she meets a psychiatrist who has collected records of others that have had similar experiences. She writes a book about them titled HEREAFTER. A confluence between George and her happens at a book fair in Paris. Marcus plays a role too in the confluence by telling George what hotel she is staying at. She is not in but he writes her a two-page note that explains his gift and background, saying they must meet. She reads the note and leaves eager to meet him. Both feel like an invisible hand has made sure they cross paths. They embrace like lovers who have finally found the proper soul mate. Their connection solves both their estrangement and isolation, and delights each for they know they are grounded in the same reality. Thus the movie ends on a very high note.

There’s one more thing I should comment on and that’s the opening sequence of the tsunami sweeping through the town off the coast. It’s entirely CGI and it is brilliantly handled, very convincing in every way, including her body underwater after she’s knocked out. Awesome is a word overused but, by god, it’s the only word that fits the scene.