After suffering a horrible car accident, Anna awakens to find herself at a funeral home under the care of funeral director Elliot Deacon. Confused and disoriented, Anna demands to know where she is, and why. The chilling answer is not what she hoped to hear: she's dead.
Deacon explains that she died in the crash and is transitioning from the land of the living to the after life. Only he has the special ability to communicate with her and others like her. But Anna feels very much alive and doubts Deacon's bizarre story. Nonetheless, in time she begins to accept it and come to terms with this apparent reality. Meanwhile her boyfriend, Paul, also has his doubts. But is he merely suffering from denial and shock, desperately hoping that his love is not really gone?
After.Life is a solid movie. It has the rare quality of actually keeping you guessing as to what is really going on. Is Anna dead? Is she alive? Is Paul simply losing his mind, or is the funeral director a mad and depraved murderer? It's not a movie that follows your standard pattern, and it sure isn't a feel good warm and fuzzy night at the movies. In fact it's depressing as hell. But it's also thought provoking, and a good reminder about the need to make the most out of the life you have while you have it. Plus it's got some creepy scenes thrown in for good measure.
Great performances from the cast, especially the creepy little kid called Jack (Chandler Canterbury), Paul (Justin Long), Deacon (Liam Neeson), and, of course, Anna who is played by the very talented and beautiful Christina Ricci.
Frankly I think they ought to make a cheesy, low budget sequel in which Anna comes back as a zombie and reaps revenge upon all those who have done her wrong. Yeah, yeah... it would have nothing to do with the original and would tarnish its artistic integrity, but it would be a heck of a lot of fun.
4 reasons not to drink and drive out of 5
Rated R for nudity, disturbing images, language and brief sexuality.
Watch the After.Life trailer.
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