Afterlife ( 2009 ) Red Box Review

Starring:  Christina Ricci, Liam Neeson, Justin Long, &
 Chandler Canterbury

Directed by Agnieszka Wojtowicz-Vosloo


http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0838247/


     The Mrs. and I were picking some movies for me  to review, and she came across this.  Actually, she saw Justin Long's name and had to rent it.  I laughed, and read the story line.  Seemed interesting and somewhat original, so what the fuck, I gave it a shot.  I was surprised.  A good cast, original story, and decent pace made for a great viewing.  I'm actually peeved that this didn't get a better push for a major release. 

     I was sucked in by the story, and later by the twists and turns.  The story you ask?  seemingly simple but a little complex at times.  After a horrific car accident, Anna (Ricci) wakes up to find the local funeral director Eliot Deacon (Neeson) preparing her body for her funeral. Confused, terrified and feeling still very much alive, Anna doesn't believe she's dead, despite the funeral director's reassurances that she is merely in transition to the afterlife. Eliot convinces her he has the ability to communicate with the dead and is the only one who can help her. Trapped inside the funeral home, with nobody to turn to except Eliot, Anna is forced to face her deepest fears and accept her own death. But Anna's grief-stricken boyfriend Paul (Long) still can't shake the nagging suspicion that Eliot isn't what he appears to be. As the funeral nears, Paul gets closer to unlocking the disturbing truth, but it could be too late; Anna may have already begun to cross over the other side.

     Truthfully, if you're going to spend 1.00 on a non Hollywood pushed movie, then do so with Afterlife.  At times the pace may seem a bit slow, but be patient, the end is worth the wait alone.  Everybody listed above for the cast was on point, and had their roles locked on their character.  I was the most surprised with Justin Long.  At no point did he seem like he was phoning the performance.  Honestly, if you want something more than the usual cheap movies, then check this one out.

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-Mr. What?-