Daigo Kobayashi (Masahiro Motoki), a devoted cellist in an orchestra that has just been dissolved, is suddenly left without a job. Daigo decides to move back to his old hometown with his wife to look for work and start over. He answers a classified ad entitled "Departures" thinking it is an advertisement for a travel agency, only to discover that the job is actually for a "Nokanshi" or "encoffineer," a funeral professional who prepares deceased bodies for burial and entry into the next life.
While his wife and others despise the job, Daigo takes a certain pride in his work and begins to perfect the art of "Nokanshi," acting as a gentle gatekeeper between life and death, between the departed and the family of the departed.
This was an awesome movie. I laughed, and cried. It was very touching... especially the ending! Intelligent, inciteful, emotionally-charged, and teaches lessons about life and death. Check it out..AWESOME.
Beyond, beyond, beyond.... you will not be disappointed. and i don't watch movies much at all!!!!!
Well, the Academy certainly got it right this time when they gave the Oscar for Best Foreign Film to DEPARTURES. A sensitively realized story with an outstanding cast led by Masahiro Motoki (SHALL WE DANCE?). Haunting and eloquent... a truly beautiful film.