Departures – Okuribito (2008)

Directed by: Yojiro Takita | 130 minutes | drama | Actors: Masahiro Motoki, Tsutomu Yamazaki, Ryoko Hirosue, Kazuko Yoshiyuki, Kimiko Yo, Takashi Sasano, Tôru Minegishi, Tetta Sugimoto, Yukiko Tachibana, Tatsuo Yamada

‘Departures’ is a special film, at times slightly absurdist with black humor and at other times slightly sad or philosophical. This broad character makes the film attractive to a wide audience without being a real large audience film. Daigo Kobayasi (Masahiro Motoki) is a cellist in Tokyo who loses his job when the orchestra he plays in is unexpectedly closed down. Besides the direct loss of income, he has a second problem. Without his wife’s knowledge, Daigo borrowed money to buy his cello. After consultation with his wife, they decide to go back to his small native village where his deceased mother left him a house. They can live there for free. In his youth, his father unexpectedly left his mother for another woman, after which Daigo hardly ever heard from him again. He feels abandoned by him and harbors a grudge about it.

In his native village, he responds to an advertisement for a job. However, there is a language error. He thinks he is responding to a vacancy that has something to do with a travel agency (= Departures), but during the application it turns out to be a mistake. It should have said (Departed = deceased). However, because it is difficult to find someone for this job, that employer really wants him. He pays a high wage and immediately gives an advance. So Daigo takes the job without knowing what he’s really getting into. In his new position at the funeral home, for example, he has to perform ritual washings and ceremoniously dress and paint the deceased in the presence of the funeral company. The film does play into the emotions at a few moments, but it is certainly not sentimental or a tearjerker. It is precisely the mixture of black humor with philosophical features that keeps the film upright and in balance. The camera work is beautiful. The story develops a bit slowly, but is completely believable. Violin music is a bit too emphatic at times.

‘Departures’ is a film that is interesting for both the arthouse and the somewhat larger mainstream audience. In addition, for Western eyes, the film offers an interesting insight into the rituals and ceremonies that take place at funerals in Japan. Questions about how to deal with death and the body of the deceased are dealt with subtly and magnificently. The role of Daigo is excellently played by Masahiro Motoki, but Tsutomo Yamazaki also plays a strong role as his employer Shouei Sasaki. He has become not only the discreet funeral director, but also an exemplary father figure for Daigo. mr. Sasaki introduces him to issues of life and death with integrity, while maintaining an extremely practical and philosophical perspective. Although death naturally plays a prominent role in the film, it is certainly not a sad film. The film is definitely worth watching for its unusual subject matter alone. Both the laughter and the tear are heartwarming and fully (and in quality) present.