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Aro Recommended Departures

 

Japan 2008, 131 minutes
Dir. Takita Yojiro
In Japanese with English subtitles
Genres: Foreign Cinema, Drama

Topics: Tearjerker.

 

Aroview: Poignant Oscar-winner that’s won over many hearts with its affecting tale of self-discovery, centered on a failed cellist whose career unexpectedly veers towards the Japanese ceremonial art of ‘encoffinment’.

The more cloying aspects of the film are easily overlooked for the sensitivity in which it tackles such universal subjects as mortality, bereavement and grief. For all its attention to the sobering aspects of life though, this possesses both an ice-breaking sense of humour, with its protagonist-turned-reluctant-undertaker receiving an often-amusing crash course in funeral practices, as well as a broadly appealing and life-affirmative tone, cementing it as something of a feel-good classic.

NZ International Film Festival 2009
Adopt-a-Movie Kindly Adopted by Broadbent & May

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Average rating 4 stars. (Very Good) (Very Good). Showing 1-3 of 3 member reviews.

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DVD Features

  • trailers
  • aspect ratio: 16:9
 

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