After.Life (2009)

After.Life: Directed by Agnieszka Wojtowicz-Vosloo. With Christina Ricci, Liam Neeson, Justin Long, Chandler Canterbury. After a car accident, a young woman caught between life and death meets a funeral director who claims to have the gift of transitioning the dead into the afterlife.

“A funeral director appears to have the gift of speaking to dead, and help with their passing to the either side. However, his latest work is a young female school teacher, but is she really dead or is he fulfilling a sick fantasy.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eDirector Agnieszka Wojtowicz-Voslou0026#39;s After-life is intriguing, thought provoking and original throughout. The stark style of filming is reminiscent of Body to Body (2003) aka u0026quot;Corps à corpsu0026quot;. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eWhile most of film centres around the character of Anna Taylor it is a wise casting choice by Matthew Lessall as beautiful Christina Ricci gives an emotional performance as a girl whou0026#39;s is not sure if she is dead or alive. Although, Ricci is on the mortuary slab and semi-nude for most part of the film, comparably to Anna Falchi in Dellamorte Dellamore (1994), to Wojtowicz-Voslou0026#39;s credit itu0026#39;s never in an explicit or over sexualized presentation. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eLiam Neeson is convincing as the mortician Eliot Deacon in a subtle performance where he communicates with the dead. Heu0026#39;s creepy and cold, although not given a back story, his character has many layers. The tension between Neeson and Ricci is note-worthy and create some great moments.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eDie Hard 4 star Justin Long is average as Ricciu0026#39;s fiancée, as he doesnu0026#39;t have the convincing weight of the other players. However, Young Chandler Canterbury as the little boy Jack is memorable. The supporting cast are a mix of familiar faceu0026#39;s including Josh Charles and Shuler Hensley and the other officers. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eDirection, lighting and music create an eerie atmosphere for this effective thriller mystery. Thereu0026#39;s horror too in the way of Anna Tayloru0026#39;s visions and Deacon working on the deceased prepping their bodies.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eOverall, simmering entertainment with a closing act to ponder over.”