After.Life (2009)

Director:

Agnieszka Wojtowicz-Vosloo

Writers:

Agnieszka Wojtowicz-Vosloo (written by) and
Paul Vosloo (written by) ...
(more)

Release Date:

26 August 2010 (Netherlands)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Life is the symptom. Death is the cure.

Plot:

A young woman caught between life and death... and a funeral director who appears to have the gift of transitioning the dead, but might just be intent on burying her alive.

Plot Keywords:

Funeral | Funeral Director | Driving In The Rain | Wheelchair | Camera Focus On Female Butt

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Christina Ricci	...	Anna Taylor
Liam Neeson	...	Eliot Deacon
Justin Long	...	Paul Coleman
Chandler Canterbury	...	Jack
Celia Weston	...	Beatrice Taylor
Luz Alexandra Ramos	...	Diane (as Luz Ramos)
Josh Charles	...	Tom Peterson
Rosemary Murphy	...	Mrs. Whitehall
Malachy McCourt	...	Father Graham
Shuler Hensley	...	Vincent Miller
Alice Drummond	...	Mrs. Hutton
Sam Kressner	...	Acne Kid
Doan Ly	...	Teacher #1
Jack Rovello	...	Tall Kid
Prudence Wright Holmes	...	Old Woman #1
Celene Keller	...	Old Woman #2
Barbara Singer	...	Old Woman #3
Laurie Cole	...	Principal
Jonny Fido	...	Stocky Teacher
Bill Perkins	...	Security Guard (as William O. Perkins III)
Chris Jackson	...	Neal
Mark Gerrard	...	Waiter
Laurel Bryce	...	Girl (as Laurel Yaros)
Gurdeep Singh	...	Cashier
Steven Lee Merkel	...	Jeff
Jody Ebert	...	Police Officer
Erin Ward	...	Teacher #2
Mark Heskin	...	Frank Miller
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Utkarsh Ambudkar	...	Assistant (uncredited)
Theodore Bouloukos	...	Polaroid corpse (uncredited)
Barbara Ann Davison	...	Mourner - Dream Sequence (uncredited)
John Farrer	...	Funeral Mourner (uncredited)
Michael Patrick Gough	...	Colleague (uncredited)
Anna Kuchma	...	Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
Justin Restivo	...	Additional Voices (uncredited)
Sammuel Soifer	...	Child In Coffin (uncredited)

Directed by
Agnieszka Wojtowicz-Vosloo

Writing credits
Agnieszka Wojtowicz-Vosloo		(written by) and
Paul Vosloo		(written by) &
Jakub Korolczuk		(written by)

Produced by
Mami Akari	....	associate producer
Brad M. Gilbert	....	producer (as Brad Michael Gilbert)
Joy Goodwin	....	co-producer
Pamela Hirsch	....	executive producer
Catherine Kellner	....	executive producer
Riva Marker	....	co-producer
Edwin L. Marshall	....	executive producer
Galt Niederhoffer	....	executive producer
Bill Perkins	....	producer (as William O. Perkins III)
Celine Rattray	....	producer
Cooper Richey	....	executive producer
Robert Sortino	....	associate producer
James Swisher	....	executive producer
Daniela Taplin Lundberg	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Paul Haslinger

Cinematography by
Anastas N. Michos		(as Anastas Michos)

Film Editing by
Niven Howie

Casting by
Matthew Lessall

Production Design by
Ford Wheeler

Art Direction by
Anu Schwartz

Set Decoration by
Tora Peterson

Costume Design by
Luca Mosca

Makeup Department
Robin Day	....	key hair stylist
Angel De Angelis	....	key hair stylist
Nicki Ledermann	....	key makeup artist: Christina Ricci
Nicki Ledermann	....	makeup department head
Andrea Miller	....	assistant makeup artist
Vincent Schicchi	....	special makeup effects artist

Production Management
Jonathan Ferrantelli	....	post-production supervisor
Riva Marker	....	post-production supervisor
Peter Pastorelli	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jolian Blevins	....	second assistant director
Niven Howie	....	additional inserts director
Yann Sobezynski	....	first assistant director
Melinda Ziyadat	....	second second assistant director

Art Department
Jamie Arbuckle	....	on-set dresser
Thomas A. Delillo	....	leadman
Mary Fellows	....	set dresser/shopper
Anna-Karin Edelbrock Fogg	....	set designer
Rumiko Ishii	....	assistant art director
Al Johnson	....	storyboard artist
Alan J. Lawson	....	charge scenic
Ann McKinnon	....	art department coordinator
Morgan Newell	....	art department assistant
Yair Oelbaum	....	art intern
Philip Saccio	....	property master
Kenneth Casey Swoyer	....	art intern
William Valentin	....	scenic artist
Derek J.W. Wybourn	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Coll Anderson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Coll Anderson	....	supervising sound editor
Stephen Barden	....	adr editor
Stephen Barden	....	dialogue editor
Marko A. Costanzo	....	foley artist
Matt Dawson	....	adr mixer
Dann Fink	....	adr loop group director
Kirby Jinnah	....	adr supervisor: Vancouver
Robert A. Sacchetti	....	boom operator
Matt Snedecor	....	sound effects editor
Jerry Stein	....	sound mixer
Dominick Tavella	....	sound re-recording mixer

Special Effects by
Andrew Mortelliti	....	special effects foreman
Stephen Powers	....	special effects technician
Steve Tozzi	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Magno Borgo	....	digital compositor
Austin Brown	....	rotoscope artist
Rob Geddes	....	digital compositor
Eduardo Gonçalves	....	rotoscope artist
David Hackenburg	....	digital compositor
Yoshiko Hirata	....	flame compositor
Carson Hood	....	visual effects producer
Ben Howdeshell	....	visual effects artist
Nicholas Lambert	....	digital compositor
Rob McCallum	....	concept artist: Mr X Inc
Jesh Murthy	....	visual effects: Anibrain
James Pina	....	digital compositor
Tyagi Reetuj	....	digital artist
Christopher Scollard	....	visual effects consultant
Jay Tilin	....	visual effects artist

Stunts
Damian Achilles	....	stunt driver
Myra 'Dakota' Bown	....	stunt driver
Mike Burke	....	stunts
Roy Farfel	....	stunt driver
Manny Siverio	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Matt Blades	....	key grip
Doug Brantner	....	electrician
Bernard X. Brongniart	....	best boy grip
John Clifford	....	still photographer
Ray Collins	....	steadicam operator
Larhn Davitt	....	grip
Andrew Engert	....	electrician
Spencer Gillis	....	second assistant camera: re-shoots
Shawn Greene	....	gaffer
Cai Hall	....	additional loader
Wayne Han	....	electrician
Timothy Healy	....	rigging gaffer
Bernard Hunt	....	electrician
John Krause	....	dolly grip
Robert Lau	....	additional first assistant camera
Adam Macbeth	....	electrician
Richard MacDonald	....	electrician
Jamie A. Marlowe	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Colin Oberschmidt	....	lighting technician
Balint Pinczehelyi	....	key rigging grip
Jeff Pinette	....	camera loader
Guillaume Renberg	....	remote camera operator
Lance Rieck	....	scorpio head technician
Jennifer Scarlata	....	electrician
Matt Setton	....	grip
John Shim	....	electrician
Louis P. Thybulle	....	operator: "red" camera
Alexis van Kersen Li	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Christopher Yoon	....	camera production assistant

Casting Department
Mark Gerrard	....	casting assistant
Meredith Jacobson	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Gail A. Fitzgibbons	....	costume supervisor
Meghan Kasperlik	....	assistant costume designer
Jacki O'Brien	....	additional wardrobe
Martha Smith	....	key costumer

Editorial Department
Dana Bloder	....	digital intermediate producer
Jessica Elvin	....	digital intermediate editor
Ben Howdeshell	....	first assistant editor
Jeffrey Leiser	....	colorist assistant
Eric Leverenz	....	digital film scanning and recording
Crystal Pei	....	colorist: dailies
Richie Roefaro	....	digital intermediate technician
Anthony Rosc	....	assistant editor
Tim Stipan	....	digital intermediate colorist
Kevin Vale	....	digital film scanning and recording
Michael P. Whipple	....	digital intermediate engineer

Music Department
Robb Gilligan	....	music post-production assistant
Chris Newlin	....	music editor
Sean Popejoy	....	score mix assistant

Other crew
Kathy Baca	....	animal handler
Geraldine Basset	....	production assistant
Steve Berman	....	completion bond
Stephanie Blackwood	....	production secretary
Nathan Buffaloe	....	additional production assistant
Yatta Calhoun	....	production office intern
Cynthia Chou	....	production office intern
Christina Chow	....	additional production assistant: first team
Carol A. Compton	....	script clearance
John 'JR' Craigmile	....	post accountant
Colin Cumberbatch	....	production coordinator
Alison Davis	....	assistant production coordinator
Shannon Dry	....	first assistant accountant
Steve Faughnan	....	location coordinator
Scott Friedman	....	production assistant
Matt Garner	....	creative consultant
Jeff Goldenbaum	....	head animal trainer
Teresa Hays	....	director assistant (as Teresa Rhinehart)
William Jackson	....	production assistant
Marshall Johnson	....	location manager
Jared Kaufmann	....	production assistant
Betsy Kelly	....	production assistant: first team
Caleb Kerlin	....	intern
Zana Lawrence	....	assistant: Mr. Long
Rachel Leavitt	....	assistant: mr. marshall
Stephen Lippross	....	production accountant
Veronica Lupu	....	script supervisor
Tom Maloney	....	production assistant
Nic Marshall	....	executive in charge of production: Plum Pictures
Jean Pesce	....	assistant location manager
Mike Reiersen	....	additional production assistant
Marc H. Simon	....	legal counsel: Dreier LLP
Wade Sullivan	....	assistant: Ms. Ricci
Jared Uhrich	....	production assistant: locations
Nancy Valle	....	post services
Cedric Vara	....	key set production assistant
Jeffrey M. Weber	....	set production assistant
Sally Winters	....	adr loop group

Production Companies

• Lleju Productions
• Harbor Light Entertainment
• Plum Pictures

Distributors

• Blue Sky Media (2011) (Czech Republic) (all media)
• Anchor Bay Films (2010) (USA) (theatrical)
• Belga Films (2010) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• Cinestar (2010) (Philippines) (theatrical)
• Entertainment One Benelux (2010) (Luxembourg) (theatrical)
• Entertainment One Benelux (2010) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Euro TV (2012) (France) (theatrical)
• Lleju Productions (2009) (USA) (theatrical)
• Village Roadshow Entertainment (2010) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Village Roadshow Entertainment (2010) (New Zealand) (theatrical)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (UK) (2010) (UK) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2010) (USA) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2010) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• CatchPlay (2010) (Taiwan) (all media)
• Culture Publishers (CP) (2011) (Japan) (DVD)
• EcoFilmes (2010) (Portugal) (all media)
• Entertainment One Benelux (2011) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Entertainment One Benelux (2011) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Falcon Films (2010) (Lebanon) (all media) (Middle East)
• Film1 (2011) (Netherlands) (TV) (limited)
• Intercontinental Video (2011) (Hong Kong) (DVD)
• Koch Media (2010) (Germany) (all media)
• Odeon (2011) (Greece) (DVD)
• Other Angle (2010) (France) (all media)
• Roadshow Entertainment (2010) (Australia) (DVD)
• Ssamzie Entertainment (2010) (South Korea) (all media)

Special Effects

• Click 3X (special visual effects)

Other Companies

• All-Star Animals  animal handlers
• DitlevFilms  end title sequence
• Dolby Laboratories  sound mix
• Film Finances  completion guarantor
• IndieClear  script clearance
• Lightnin' Production Rentals  transportation equipment
• Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA)  animal wrangler
• Post Factory NY  post-production facilities
• S.O.T.C. MultiMedia Group  special thanks

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for nudity, disturbing images, language and brief sexuality

Runtime:

USA:104 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #45900) | Netherlands:16 | Canada:14A (Ontario) | Australia:R (2010) | South Korea:15 | New Zealand:R16 | Portugal:M/16 | Philippines:R-13 (MTRCB) | Singapore:M18 | UK:15 | Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Lleju Productions

Trivia:

Cameo: [Bill Perkins]The film's financier and producer appears as a Security Guard arresting Justin Long at the school.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Eliot leaves, Anna takes the keys and opens the door. You can see the lock is a double deadbolt and requires a key on both sides. As Anna has the keys Eliot could not have locked the door

Quotes:

[first lines]
Eliot Deacon:It's time now. You're absolutely beautiful for your funeral.
[crossing his hands]
Eliot Deacon:It's is if you were still alive. Just sleeping. This is how they're all going to remember you.

Definitely not great but, quite clever and entertaining

After a horrific car accident, Anna (Christina Ricci) wakes up to find the local funeral director Eliot Deacon (Liam 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 (Justin Long) still can't shake the nagging suspicion that Eliot isn't what he appears to be. Paul desperately tries to convince the local Police Chief (Josh Charles) that Anna's alive. But the more he investigates her death, the more they question his sanity. 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.

After Life is a clever psychological thriller with a very creepy and mysterious atmosphere. The concept behind the story is very cool but the execution is definitely what made the film. Is Anna alive or is she dead? That is the big question of After Life and the film goes back and forth delivering several clues, some subtle, some not so much. And even though the film tries to be ambiguous, by the end, it's pretty clear what happened. Still, it will drive you crazy, in a good way of course. The film also poses some interesting questions regarding the nature of life forcing the viewer to reflect on his own existence.

Liam Neeson did a good job and Christina Ricci was exceptional in her role. Justin Long however, was largely disappointing. Overall, it's nothing outstanding but definitely a very entertaining flick and the director was able to put a different spin on a often used concept.

6.5/10