J-Film Blog

Japanese Title: おくりびと (Okuribito, “Sent away” People?)
US Title: Departures

Wow, what a totally awesome movie.  For lots of different reasons.  It’s thoughtful, funny, well-written, well-acted…  It’s just that good.  Plus it offers a few insights into Japanese culture that you may or may not pick up on.  Read on for the whole scoop.

When Daigo Kobayashi (Masahiro Motoki) loses his new job as a cellist (celloist? I dunno!) in a Tokyo orchestra, he decides to head back to his hometown up north with his wife Mika (Ryoko Hirosue), where his recently deceased mother has left him a house.

He goes to take a job at (what he thinks) his a travel agency.  Much to his chagrin, however, its for a “Nokanshi”, which are people who prepare the dead for burial or cremation.  The concept might be a bit fuzzy for us westerners, but think something along the lines of the folks who prepare/embalm bodies in funeral homes.  Except here they’re creating a “presentation” for the funeral, and in a way, performing a sort of cleansing ritual before cremation.

Anyway.  After a few initiation rituals, he finally starts to take to this new job.  Although he still hasn’t told his wife what he does.  And for good reason.  The concept of the “Burakumin” comes into play here.  Basically what used to be a “caste” of “untouchables” due to their professions, dealing with the dead, butchers, undertakers, that sort of thing.  It’s not supposed to be an issue nowadays, but yeah, it is.  And his wife and his old friends around town still think along these lines.

What’s great about this picture, at least in my opinion, is the “window” into Japanese culture and daily life you see.  Everything from the village bath-house, to the relationship between boss and employee, the formalities between customer and vendor, just the entire… “frame of mind” for lack of a better word.

Its also a brilliant portrayal of a man who finally finds his calling, after trying to fulfill what he and his family think it should be.  Despite the nature of the job, and everything that goes with it, he sees the value in it, and so does everyone around him.

Finally, its also a great story of a man coming to terms with his abandonment issues from his father.  It all comes together at the end.  All of it.  Its easy to see why this won an Oscar for best foreign language film.  You really should watch this film, whether you’re interested in Japanese language/life/etc. or not.  It’s really that good.  Well acted, written, directed…  Just go find it already!

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1069238/
Amazon: Departures