After.Life

I’ve always found death fascinating; not in a morbid sense, but simply that it is something that we all have touch our lives at some point and also all have to experience at some time. Death is certainly a part of life. There are various books, theories, and beliefs on what happens after we die; and so watching this film was just another way to gain insight on how Polish Writer and director Agnieszka Wojtowicz-Vosloo’s thoughts on the subject might be.

This 2009 film, the film-maker’s first feature length film, seems to be well executed, funded and backed with some of Hollywood’s biggest stars acting in it, names like: Liam Neeson, Christina Ricci and Justin Long. And although remarkable story content, and big names in the business, for some reason it still missed something. A person/body waking up on a slab of stone in the funeral director’s home asking, “What am I doing here? I’m not dead!” is undoubtedly a wonderful start, but I felt that there sadly wasn’t enough research done or depth of characters to make its audience believe in what was taking place or feel for the characters. Don’t get me wrong – the actors did their job, and remarkably so, but if there isn’t enough back-story, or research to add to film’s believability then the viewer’s are held in limbo and in turn lose interest fast.

There was just enough mystery to keep the film terrifying and easily dramatic, but because of those aspects missing from it, it sadly was unable to reach higher expectations. Instead of the great idea, blossoming and becoming mesmerizing it left its viewers disappointed in the end.

Life is funny in that, each project, each instance, each moment, should be have in gratitude and in humility otherwise if you are missing these core values, you can easily slip from greatness. Agnieszka Wojtowica-Vosloo graduated Alma Mater from Tisch School of the Arts.

Her first short film, Pate was an award-winning success in Sun-Dance Film Festival, World Fest Houston International Film Festival, Atlanta Film Festival, New York Magazine Award of Excellence and New York Universities Wasserman Award, and indeed she has the tools, brain and work ethic to be successful, however it goes to show that even with a BIG budget, and BIG stars, if the team isn’t passionate as you are, a great idea can fall flat on it’s face.