2008, Japan
Drama
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Extended version:
The unexpected paths of life may not lead to an anticipated destination, but the small moments that envelope each individual's world create the essence of a life missed when gone. In director Yôjirô Takita's Oscar-winning Departures, a lost soul stumbles into a new life where he is entrusted with the final moments of these worlds.
Daigo is a cellist, passionate about his music but insecure in his talents. When his Tokyo orchestra is dissolved, he resigns himself and his new, professional instrument to the pawnshop of unattainable dreams and returns home. He and his wife, Mika, move into his late mother's home-cum-coffee shop in Yamagata, and Daigo nabs the first job requiring no experience. Despite the attractive description of "working with departures," he soon finds himself preparing the dead for their next journey.
In the lead role, Masahiro Motoki (Shall We Dance?) is comically charming and sweetly reserved as Daigo, a man who cautiously seeks approval having never received it from the father who deserted his family. Ryoko Hirosue (star of Takita's Secret) portrays Mika, bubbly and supportive, nudging Daigo when he pauses to question his next move. His new boss, Mr. Sasaki (multi-award winning actor, Tsutomu Yamazaki) is short on words but long on instinct, hiring Daigo immediately and convincing him to pursue a job that no one wants.
Such is the irony of this position of ceremony. The last person to touch the body of the deceased earns no respect, and yet they are granted an important role in guiding the grieving process. As he prepares the body for its final farewells, loved ones observe the ritual, aware and yet comforted by the illusion of presence.
Daigo becomes witness to the final physical moments of the deceased's life -- moments met with joy and regrets from loved ones whose actions summarize a lifetime. These lives are unknown to the audience or perhaps subtly revealed, but the effect of one person is echoed by those who surround him hoping to grasp the memories not yet lost and reveal the impact of years brought to a conclusion. As Daigo confronts his own history with the father who left him and the mother who was left behind, he struggles with his own unsettled mind which never witnessed such a peaceful transition.
Departures is lovingly told through a story intertwined with humor and touching revelations, much as life is when the body is paying attention. Each character, living and dead, has a tale to tell, but its recollection falls beyond the edges of the screen. The film does not merely recall these fictional existences, but creates a reflection for the viewer and a momentary pause to consider the paths ultimately traveled.