Hereafter

Every now and then a film comes along that takes a shot at all those big questions that loom over us like a big unanswered loomy thing - what happens to us after we die? is there such a thing as the 'hereafter'? and what would happen if John Edward got a real job?
Hereafter is directed by living legend Clint Eastwood (Invictus) and written by the brilliant Peter Morgan (Frost/Nixon).
The film tells the tale of three people; a young boy, Marcus (played by both Frankie and George McLaren), who just lost his twin brother; ex-psychic George Lonegan (Matt Damon - True Grit); and well respected French television commentator Marie Lelay (Cecile De France - Gardiens de l'ordre).
We first meet Marie while she is on holiday with her boyfriend/producer Didier (Thierry Neuvic - Love Like Poison). She pops out to buy presents for Didier's kids when a massive tsunami hits the small holiday town. Marie is caught in a torrent of water as she hits her head and sinks to the bottom. A few moments later, she is resuscitated by two men. While she was unconscious, she had a vision and is now filled with questions.
In England, Marcus and and his twin brother Jason live at home with their drug addict mother. While Jason goes to the chemist to get his mum's medicine, he chats with Marcus on a mobile phone. On his way home, Jason is harassed by a bunch of bullies and runs out onto the road to escape when he is hit by a car and dies. Still listening on the phone, Marcus runs to his brother but it's too late. Marcus hits the internet again to try to find what happened to his brother after he died.
Across the pond the current life of George Lonegan is a far cry from that of his past. By day he works in a sugar cane factory; by night he listens to the works of Charles Dickens on audio tape and once a week takes an Italian cooking class. He used to give psychic readings to people who wanted to talk with loved ones who has passed away. Unlike most others, George is the real deal.
Marie takes some time off to start writing a book about her experiences. Marcus moves in with a foster family while his mum is getting treatment. George is let go from work and his brother Billy (Jay Mohr - Street Kings) is keen to get George back in the old business again so he can share the wealth. But George has other plans.
There is so much going on in this film I can't help but wonder if it would have been better served in a novel. Even with its just over two hour running time I felt like there could have been much more to explore with the different characters but I don't know if I could have stayed in the cinema for that amount of time without an interval.
It was such a fascinating and powerful story and I enjoyed watching the stories intertwining, albeit it slowly. The tsunami scene in the beginning was rather confronting. With thoughts fresh from the loss of life caused by the floods my part of the world has recently had to endure, it was all to easy to think of what those poor people would have gone through when that wall of water ploughed its way through the streets wiping out everything in its path.
The performances were all very good - young Frankie and George were brilliant and seamlessly interchangeable! Bryce Dallas Howard (Eclipse) was great as George's cooking partner and potential love interest. Every time I see Matt Damon I hear that song in my head...
All in all it was very enjoyable (and a good ad for Google) but perhaps not the best medium for the idea. Clint Eastwood has still got it.
Things I learnt: take your own knives to cooking class freaks out the competition; Derek Jacobi does good Dickens; always follow your hat.
Intruiging...
Eight out of ten.