Departures: Japanese film unexpectedly uplifting

By Robert Frankel

Departures

4/5 Stars

In Japan, it is called nōkan. This ancient ritual, known as “encoffinment,” is used to prepare the bodies of the dead so their family can offer one final goodbye before cremation.

Such is the central topic of Yōjirō Takita’s Oscar-winning film, Departures. Daigo Kobayashi (Masahiro Motoki), a cellist in a Tokyo orchestra, loses his job when the orchestra dissolves. With no prospects, he and his wife, Mika, move to his hometown. Answering an ad to “assist departures,” Daigo is soon a central part of the NK Agency’s business of encoffinment and finds himself coming to terms not only with his life but also with death itself.

As heavy as it may seem, Departures is not a downbeat film. Thanks to Takita’s skills as a director, along with his magnificent cast, the movie is fairly witty. There are many unexpected laugh-out-loud moments scattered throughout the film, lightening what would otherwise have been an oppressive tone.

It is, at times, a very powerful film. The great respect and intimacy during the film’s many encoffinment scenes are both affecting and moving; both Daigo and his boss, Ikuei Sasaki (the magnificent Tsutomu Yamazaki), show great care and affection during the process, and the film reacts accordingly to the ritual.

Departures is characteristic of Asian cinema through its stunning use of cinematography and music. Takeshi Hamada’s camera views each act of encoffinment with just the right amount of reverence and curiosity, and Joe Hisaishi’s string-centric musical score is one of the best things about the film. It is painfully beautiful, full of the pathos and gravitas that must come with the task of encoffinment.

Where Departures falters is in its embellishments. The dramatic flourish is seen a little too frequently. Sometimes, it is used as comic relief, which is ironic considering the film’s theme. Other times, it’s used seriously, and this can prove to be a distraction. The music soars too high during some scenes in an attempt to heighten the emotion of an already effective scene; the camera sweeps too much to squeeze as much grief as it can into a single shot and some scenes progress for too long, succeeding not in added power but only in becoming dull.

However, where the film works well is in its portrayal of the characters and how the viewer comes to associate with and care for them. In one notable scene, Daigo plays the cello for his associates at the NK Agency, and it is not the music that is powerful, but the deep and subtle reactions of Sasaki and his secretary.

Although Departures won the Best Foreign Film award at this year’s Academy Awards, it is difficult to believe it really is the standout from last year, especially considering Israel’s Waltz with Bashir. And yet, the film is a grand and emotionally moving experience. Just as with life and death, Departures is full of laughter and tears.

Reach reporter Robert Frankel at arts@dailyuw.com.

Departures: Japanese film unexpectedly uplifting

By Robert Frankel

Departures

4/5 Stars

In Japan, it is called nōkan. This ancient ritual, known as “encoffinment,” is used to prepare the bodies of the dead so their family can offer one final goodbye before cremation.

Such is the central topic of Yōjirō Takita’s Oscar-winning film, Departures. Daigo Kobayashi (Masahiro Motoki), a cellist in a Tokyo orchestra, loses his job when the orchestra dissolves. With no prospects, he and his wife, Mika, move to his hometown. Answering an ad to “assist departures,” Daigo is soon a central part of the NK Agency’s business of encoffinment and finds himself coming to terms not only with his life but also with death itself.

As heavy as it may seem, Departures is not a downbeat film. Thanks to Takita’s skills as a director, along with his magnificent cast, the movie is fairly witty. There are many unexpected laugh-out-loud moments scattered throughout the film, lightening what would otherwise have been an oppressive tone.

It is, at times, a very powerful film. The great respect and intimacy during the film’s many encoffinment scenes are both affecting and moving; both Daigo and his boss, Ikuei Sasaki (the magnificent Tsutomu Yamazaki), show great care and affection during the process, and the film reacts accordingly to the ritual.

Departures is characteristic of Asian cinema through its stunning use of cinematography and music. Takeshi Hamada’s camera views each act of encoffinment with just the right amount of reverence and curiosity, and Joe Hisaishi’s string-centric musical score is one of the best things about the film. It is painfully beautiful, full of the pathos and gravitas that must come with the task of encoffinment.

Where Departures falters is in its embellishments. The dramatic flourish is seen a little too frequently. Sometimes, it is used as comic relief, which is ironic considering the film’s theme. Other times, it’s used seriously, and this can prove to be a distraction. The music soars too high during some scenes in an attempt to heighten the emotion of an already effective scene; the camera sweeps too much to squeeze as much grief as it can into a single shot and some scenes progress for too long, succeeding not in added power but only in becoming dull.

However, where the film works well is in its portrayal of the characters and how the viewer comes to associate with and care for them. In one notable scene, Daigo plays the cello for his associates at the NK Agency, and it is not the music that is powerful, but the deep and subtle reactions of Sasaki and his secretary.

Although Departures won the Best Foreign Film award at this year’s Academy Awards, it is difficult to believe it really is the standout from last year, especially considering Israel’s Waltz with Bashir. And yet, the film is a grand and emotionally moving experience. Just as with life and death, Departures is full of laughter and tears.

Reach reporter Robert Frankel at arts@dailyuw.com.

0 Comments

0 Comments