Departures | 
 enlarge | Director: Yôjirô Takita
Actors: Masahiro Motoki, Ryoko Hirosue, Tsutomu Yamazaki, Kazuko Yoshiyuki, Kimiko Yo
Studio: E1 Entertainment
Category: DVD
List Price: $26.98
Buy New: $9.89
You Save: $17.09 (63%)
New (40) Used (19) from $7.78
Rating:  81 reviews
Sales Rank: 1010
Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, DVD, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
Languages: English (Subtitled), Japanese (Original Language)
Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Region: 1
Discs: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Running Time: 130 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.3
Dimensions (in): 7.4 x 5.3 x 0.6
MPN: 741952675792
UPC: 741952675792
EAN: 0741952675792
ASIN: B002SF9YNO
Theatrical Release Date: 2008
Release Date: January 12, 2010
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
A former cellist moves back to his hometown with his wife and accepts a position preparing corpses for burial.
Amazon.com
Departures is surely the gentlest, sweetest movie about death that you will ever see. A cellist named Diago (Masahiro Motoki) comes to the rueful conclusion that he’s not talented enough to make a career as a musician; having just returned to his hometown with his wife Mika (Ryoko Hirosue, Wasabi), he answers a job ad for what he thinks must be a travel agency... only to discover that company prepares bodies to be placed in coffins. Fearful of his wife’s response, he hides his new job--but as he grows to appreciate his boss (Tsutomu Yamazaki, Tampopo) and the affect that the humbling ceremony of cleaning and dressing the deceased has on their families, Diago discovers that he might have a calling. Departures won the 2009 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, and it’s easy to understand why. Though it starts out quietly and even seems slight, it gradually builds in emotional power, layer by layer, until scene after scene at the end is richly moving. Particularly affecting is the performance of Kimiko Yo, the secretary of the company, who harbors a troubling secret. A few moments of overt symbolism push the movie from compassion to sentimentality--but every time Departures seems to have lost its footing, a scene follows that strikes all the right notes so deftly it resonates like a bell. A truly marvelous movie. --Bret Fetzer
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 81
 Did I miss something? I thought this movie was incredibly boring... September 7, 2010
J. Garcia (Corona, CA USA)
I'm surprised this has such a high average rating. I thought this movie just took forever to get off the ground, actually for me it never hit lift off. The main actor's performance was just so uninteresting to me. The story was pretentiously sentimental. The style of the film is super conventional, there is nothing in this that could be considered "art." Maybe I was just not the mainstream movie going crowd this film was out to reach... God, the movie wouldn't end I tell you!
Beautifully directed and acted, a unique film about death September 5, 2010
Elaine J. Campbell (Rancho Mirage, CA United States)
There is little to add to the other many five star reviews. I have never seen a film deal so directly and movingly with the subject of death. And the acting was so excellent that I marveled at it throughout the film.
I especially loved the performance of Tsutomu Yamazaki, who subtly plays the boss of the young man who unexpectedly finds himself working as a encoffiner when he mistakenly answers a classified ad thinking it is for a tour agent.
The only weakness I could find in the film is that I felt the beginning moved along a little too slowly, while the final scene would have been more effective had it been a bit shorter.
All in all, a decidedly great and extremely moving cinematic feat which gives one food for thought long after one has viewed it, which is what all great movies do.
Departures August 18, 2010
rupertrupert
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This is one of the best movies I have ever seen. Its done with feelings from the Soul and the actors where amazing in their acting. I can only say good things about this movie.
Rose's Reviews August 10, 2010
Rose Harp (Amarillo, TX United States)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This is a charming view of modern Japan and illuminates the many cultural changes in Japanese Society. Having lived there in the 60s, I can see that the evolution in thinking continues since WWII. However, the politeness and sweetness of this island people remains firm even though they have endured the war and after a period of economic growth, a downturn in their economy that has lasted for over a decade. Their values remain strong even though they have been influenced by western music and ideas. The characters in this film are not only likeable, but loveable in many ways. Many will appreciate the subtlety of the film and the character development. It is a feel good film with many lessons for today's generation.
Wonderful Movie August 6, 2010
Gloria Arra
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I loaned this movie out to a number of friends before I even watched it. All 10 plus people have commented on how wonderful and beautiful this movie is. I look forward to watching it too and know if they all said it was great then it must be a fantastic movie.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 81
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