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October 1998

The Sweet Hereafter
Reviewed by Roger Kanno
DVD Format

Overall Enjoyment: ****1/2
Picture Quality: *****
Sound Quality: ****
Packaged Extras: ****1/2

Starring Ian Holm, Bruce Greenwood, Sarah Polley

Directed by Atom Egoyan

Theatrical Release: 1997
DVD Release: 1998
Dolby Digital 5.1
Widescreen


The Sweet Hereafter is one of the most acclaimed yet most overlooked films of 1997. Most people haven’t seen it and many people haven’t even heard of it. However, New Line Video has made it one of their Platinum Series DVD releases, giving it the treatment that it deserves and allowing it a chance to be appreciated by a wider audience. The movie is based on the novel by Russell Banks and was adapted for the screen and directed by renowned independent Canadian filmmaker Atom Egoyan. The Sweet Hereafter received two Oscar nominations -- for its screenplay (based on material previously produced or published) and for its director (Egoyan) and won the Grand Jury Prize at Cannes.

The film centers on the events leading up to and following a tragic accident involving the children of a small, isolated, rural community. Ian Holm plays an attorney who travels to the community in an attempt to persuade the parents of the children to launch a class-action suit. Sarah Polley plays Nicole, one of the survivors of the accident and the emotional center of the film. Besides Polley, the movie stars other Egoyan film alumni such as Bruce Greenwood, Gabrielle Rose, David Hemblen, Maury Chaykin and Egoyan's wife, Arsinée Khanjian.

The story unfolds in a non-linear fashion jumping between the events leading up to the accident, Holm's investigation into the accident, and Holm's life after he leaves the town. Through this recounting, the effects of the accident on all of the characters in the film are revealed. Although the film deals with disturbing subject matter, it is still more accessible than earlier Egoyan creep fests such as The Adjuster and Exotica. Many films adapted from books suffer from a lack of focus, but The Sweet Hereafter remains focused throughout, and Egoyan's brilliant use of the Robert Browning poem "The Pied Piper of Hamelin" to tie all the elements of the story together is inspired. In the end, we see the effects of the accident and its aftermath on the development of Polley's character and the others in the town as well as how Holm’s character faces his own personal losses.

The performances by the actors are all exceptional and Egoyan's direction is deserving of the Oscar nomination. However, it's Polley's performance that stands out amongst all of the others. Her portrayal of a person forever changed by tragedy and the reactions of those around her is totally absorbing. Her singing is also featured throughout the film and her cover of the Tragically Hip’s song "Courage" is especially poignant.

The quality of the video transfer is superb. Outdoor scenes are sharp and crisp with excellent contrast, color fidelity, and a very film-like look. Interior scenes are also good with accurate flesh tones and plenty of detail. Foley effects and dialogue are sometimes a bit forward and slightly unnatural, but the music score is haunting and memorable. These elements combine to make a reference-quality disc both in terms of technical and artistic aspects. Be sure to check out chapter 11 "That Morning" and chapter 13 "Memories" with just the isolated music track for images and sounds that will stay with you long after you have finished watching the film.

This DVD features biographies and filmographies of the actors as well as Q&A interviews. An illustrated version of "The Pied Piper of Hamelin" is presented frame by frame in its entirety, a nice touch. Audio commentary is provided by both director Egoyan and author Banks, although Banks often comes off as less thoughtful and insightful than Egoyan. Nonetheless, the audio commentary will reveal many nuances in the film that are not always so obvious. Watch the aforementioned chapters 11 and 13 first with the isolated music score, then with the audio commentary, and then with the full 5.1 soundtrack to experience filmmaking at its best. There is also an interesting interview with Egoyan taken from the Charlie Rose Show.

Although it is difficult to watch at times, The Sweet Hereafter is a film worth seeking out and a DVD worth owning.


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