Hereafter (2010)

Cast includes:
CHARACTER	ACTOR/ACTRESS	RATING
George Lonegan	Matt Damon
Marie Lelay	Cécile de France
Marcus/Jason	Frankie McLaren
Jason/Marcus	George McLaren
Jackie	Lyndsey Marshal	½
Didier	Thierry Neuvic	½
Melanie	Bryce Dallas Howard	½
Billy Lonegan	Jay Mohr
Himself	Derek Jacobi

Review

Approaching eighty, it is only fair that Clint Eastwood has become preoccupied with matters like death and afterlife, and in Hereafter, the veteran filmmaker gives these matters a thorough and devoted examination. The film presents three separate plot threads, all of which are constantly interesting, if not totally absorbing: (1) a French journalist and TV personality (Cécile de France) has a near-death experience following a tsunami, loses focus on her job, and feels drawn to the subject of afterlife; (2) a retired psychic (Matt Damon) tries to lead a normal life, but his talent keeps getting in the way; (3) a young British boy dies in a traffic accident, and his identical twin becomes obsessed with getting in touch with him.

As expected, these three lives are ultimately intertwined, and Eastwood does it all neatly and delicately. The film has an aptly open-minded and inquiring attitude towards its subject material, but if you feel that it doesn't quite blow your mind away, it's because Eastwood's direction is a little bit too meek and agreeable and the plot lacks a little bit of edge. The acting is fine, however, especially by Damon and de France, and the ending has a fitting poetic quality.