Hereafter Movie Review

Right, Where to even start with this one? Have you ever seen a film where when it ends you feel like…….was that it? Well if you have then this is what you will be getting when you see Hereafter. But don’t let that put you off as the cast just about keep you glued till the end.

Directed by the great Clint Eastwood and starring the amazing Matt Damon. Hereafter is a movie about one mans gift / curse of being able to have contact with afterlife… Let’s start with George Lonnegan (Matt Damon) a former psychic reader who has traded the ideals of exploiting his talent for the life of a factory worker. George later gets laid off and finds solace in a cooking class where a romance is sparked by classmate Melanie (Bryce Dallas Howard).

My only problem with this film is we have 3 stories running parallel with each other and before you can take an interest in one story it will switch you to another, not giving you enough time to really appreciate the characters and care enough about there scenarios. On the one story we have Matt Damon who with the gift of a psychic reader, and the pressures of people wanting readings, only wants to live a normal life and ignore his gift. Whilst you feel for his character George, You never really get the chance to know why he hates his gift…..I mean if it pays the bills then you would do it right??

Then enter Melanie (Bryce Dallas Howard) who joins a cooking class and partners up with George, Matt Damon and Bryce Dallas Howard have great chemistry but you are left with the feeling from the off that what they have will be short lived, which is sad as there is never a real chance for these characters to develop together.

Next we have Marie Lelay (Cécile de France) she is a victim of the tsunami and experiences a brief encounter with the afterlife before being revived after drowning. This Story path of the film slows the film down to a halt in my opinion and never gives it that lift it really needs (Apart from the opening scene which was dramatic). You are waiting for that change back to the other storylines.

Thirdly we are then taken to London where we are introduced to twin boys Marcus and Jason (Frankie and George McLaren) and their struggle with their mother’s drug-addiction. An unfortunate accident sends a depressed Marcus to live in a foster home where he constantly looks for answers with local faux-psychics.

The 3 stories whilst coming together at the end, never really give you the conclusion you are hoping for and in my case waiting for. I actually waited till the end credits to see if anything else would happen, as you are left with so many plot holes and unfinished conclusions….still I waited for an extra credits scene….ANYTHING!!. But no, you are left with the feeling like you would have if you went to a posh restaurant and orders a 3 course meal only to find you’ve paid £100 and are still starving when you leave.

So my final thoughts on this film, It feels like it has a lot to offer but fails to do so with the talented cast attached, I wouldn’t say its Terrible, but I wouldn’t say its great, Give it ago, Watch it on a lazy weeknight, But don’t let the opening 20 minutes trick you into what you will be getting for the entire film…….. 5/10