Japanese "DEPARTURES" - Oscars for Best Foreign language film

Saw 3 movies in 3 days..

Mel Gibson in “Edge of Darkness” – a smart ‘cop revenge for his daughter’ story, with a background of the highly influential but shady American arms industry

The stylized Chinese “Divergence” –  A cop, a lawyer and a mob sniper triangle with a woman in the middle.

Both these movies were smart, big budget and left a feeling of “Hmm.. that was 2hrs worth”

The 3^rd was “Departures “- a simple Japanese movie about a failed musician trying to adjust to his new career, that of preparing the dead for their coffin.

Was bowled over by the lyrical simplicity of Departures. Later learnt it was the 2008 Oscar winner for Best Foreign language film… hmm..no wonder.

HOW “DEPARTURES” SURPRISES ONE?

With a morbid theme one would expect a serious dark movie, where the character is either talking philosophically or is brooding like a sage. Actually throughout the movie I caught myself smiling often. 

Director Yōjirō Takita does a balancing act of giving simple rounded characters trying to lead a normal life with an underlying poignancy that surface with just a hint. No rubbing it in like,” See I got a great knot, now I will milk it to the maximum.”

THE SCRIPT

Daigo (Masahiro Motoki) is an aspiring cellist in a Tokyo orchestra which suddenly is dissolved. He moves, with his young wife, to a small town– the place where his single mother grew him up; since Daigo’s dad had deserted the family when Daigo was six years old.

To make ends meet, reluctantly, takes the job of an “encoffinator” – the Japanese ceremonial tradition of cleaning and preparing the dead. He conceals his job from his wife since it’s not a respectable profession.

Then on the story moves at different levels, all dovetailed smoothly.

WHERE ‘DEPARTURES’ DEPARTS FROM THE ORDINARY – DIFFERENT LEVELS

PERSONAL
Daigo’s personal struggle adjusting to his job - is DEAD dirty?
His loving wife’s rejection of his career choice

MORAL
Daigo’s anger at his dad, who rejected his mother in favour of another woman; forgoing his responsibility as a Husband and as a Father.

PHILOSOPHICAL
The relationship between the LIVING and the DEAD.
Here mention should be made of the tongue-in-cheek performance of Daigo’s boss -   Tsutomu Yamazaki , the veteran from the movies of Akio Kurosawa.

And MUSICAL
Joe Hisaishi – A great name in Japanese film music explores without any pretensions.

CONCLUSION -
Many say they cry when they see this movie.. But I smiled often. 
I don’t know why... But it’s equally cathartic.