Departures (おくりびと)

Directed by Yojiro Takita [滝田洋二郎], 2008, 131 minutes

Review by Michael Sullivan

Departures is based on an autobiographical book by Aoki Shinmon [新門青木] and features Masahiro Motoki [本木雅弘] as Daigo Kobayashi, a cellist who after losing his job moves back to his hometown and starts a new job helping ‘departures.’ In 2009 it won an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film as well as numerous other awards such as the 32nd Japan Academy Prize for Best Film and the 30th Yokohama Film Festival for Best Film.

The most striking features of this movie are the cinematic scenery and haunting musical score, all of the compositions are by Joe Hisaishi [久石 譲], who has also composed the music for many Studio Ghibli films. The music flows beautifully with Yojiro Takita’s scenes such as nature, sunsets and a cellist playing his instrument next to rice fields. The film portrays with extreme tenderness the passing away of loved ones, how the families cherished them, while reminding us of the reasons for living.

Daigo and his wife Mika, played by Ryoko Hirosue [広末 涼子], move to Daigo’s family home, his parent’s café, in Yamagata after his orchestra is disbanded. His mother had died previously while he had been abroad and his father had abandoned the family when Daigo was six years old. Looking for work he finds an advertisement for what appears to be some kind of travel agency, on arriving for the job interview he is given the job almost immediately and paid for turning up. He finds out that his new job, working for the boss Sasaki played by Tsutomu Yamazaki [山崎 努], involves encoffinment; the art of preparing the dead for their departure from this life.

Daigo feels embarrassed by his new job, he tells his wife in a vague manner that it is a ceremonial job and keeps quiet in front of old acquaintances. His caution is shown to be prudent when an old friend finds out and refuses to let his family talk to Daigo, and eventually Mika finds out too and leaves, finding his touch to be filthy. Meanwhile, through his job he encounters many kinds of deaths, the young, the old, accidents, suicides, and using their delicate care and respect for the body, he and Sasaki bring the dead back to a life like resemblance which provokes outpourings of grief, anger and regret from the different family members. The departure of a deceased person reflects not just a time of goodbyes, but also of remembrance. Daigo is touched by the sincere emotions he receives from parents, spouses, etc, who thank him and Sasaki for the care and beauty they give to the deceased. Eventually the moment arrives when his wife returns; she has news for him and wants him to quit his job. Before he can answer his phone rings, another person has died, someone they both know.

The film touches upon a number of delicate issues, the grief caused by death, the taboo nature of those who care for the dead as well as the importance of family and life itself. Daigo goes through a journey himself, discovering his past and learning about living. There are striking scenes such as the apartment of Sasaki which in comparison to his job is filled with life, and his motto that life is eating, both of which have a profound impact on Daigo. (This fantastic movie was also reviewed in Issue 20)