After Life

After Life

A fantastical premise executed with extraordinarily simple, even rudimentary staging. This stark contrast between high concept and low production is almost  endlessly fascinating, and Kore-eda explores it with a deft, documentarian touch that makes it difficult to know what was scripted, what was improvised, and what was poured out from the life experiences of its cast of wonderful actors. He also manages to turn it into a beguiling metaphor for the purpose of filmmaking. Overall it’s just a pleasure to exist in this world (realm?), at least until a late inning plot twist gives us a reveal that seems a bit too conveniently tidy. It’s not egregious but it does feel like a letdown given how brilliant everything leading up to it is.

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