To Many After Thoughts
Following a row with her boyfriend, Anna (Christina Ricci) races off only to end up in a horrific car accident, coming to on the slab at Eliot Deacon's (Liam Neeson) the local funeral director. Whilst Anna thinks she is alive Eliot explains to her that she is dead and on the way to the afterlife not that she believes him. As Anna initially tries to escape her boyfriend Paul (Justin Long) is not convinced and begins to suspect Eliot Deacon is not what he seems.
I am trying to work through the thoughts in my head whether or not "After.Life" is a good movie or not so this might end up a bit of a ramble. Firstly take the casting of Liam Neeson as funeral director Eliot Deacon as it is brilliant with Neeson bring so many aspects to the character, at times he seems caring, a man who truly believes he is the guardian of the recently deceased but then he also seems extremely creepy and that breeds a sense of doubt in your mind as intended. Neeson's performance is the strongest in the movie although Christina Ricci is attention grabbing as Anna and Justin Long is solid as the boyfriend struggling with his grief and suspicious of Eliot.
Then there is the look of the movie and between the pale skin of Ricci, the sterility of the funeral home and the red dress which Anna wears for some of the movie, it is attention grabbing. Some of the reason for that is because Ricci spends what seems like the majority of the movie naked. But there is no denying that "After.Life" has a very good look.
But here is the problem with "After.Life" it is a movie with no rulers or at least a movie where it will establish a role and break it when it sees fit. It unfortunately spoils the movie with its anything goes philosophy and whilst it might offer up some visuals and twists it makes it a movie with to much freedom pull a rabbit out of the hat and do something which it says isn't possible.
What this all boils down to is that "After.Life" is the sort of movie you watch and find yourself glued to because of the ideas and look but afterwards think about and become frustrated by it just did what it wanted, breaking the rules it made.
