Clint Eastwood and Matt Damon reunite with a film that tackles the afterlife.
But, asks Ron, is Hereafter actually any good?
George Lonegan (Matt Damon) is a man with a talent.
Some, like his brother Billy (Jay Mohr) call it a gift.
Some, like George himself, call it a curse.
Whatever it is, its something that George is running from.
Apparently, reading people for a psychic is kind of like being in the Mafia.
Theres a lot of beautiful imagery here, a lot of chiaroscuro, and some very graceful transitions.
Damons George is suitably haunted and brooding (a bit like Clooney inThe American).
We know exactly whats going to happen.
We might not know how it happens, but we know its going to happen.
The marketing department of Warner Bros has done this film no favors.
The commercials playHereafteras anInceptionof the afterlife, orThe Americanwith psychic powers.
Unfortunately, this film is neither of those things.
Hereafteris a very well shot film.
However,Hereafterjust didnt enthrall me.
As a film grappling with questions of the afterlife and mortality, it worked.
As a film about a man made miserable by his abilities, it worked.
But, once I figured out how the ends started to tie together, I felt my interest waning.
Hereafterstarts strongly, but seems to lose its way about an hour in and finish weakly.
US correspondent Ron Hogan believes in the afterlife, he just doesnt find it to be interesting film matter.
Find more by Ron at his blog,Subtle Bluntness, and daily atShaktronicsandPopFi.
Rating:
3 out of 5
