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Departures

Play trailer Poster for Departures PG-13 2009 2h 10m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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80% Tomatometer 108 Reviews 92% Popcornmeter 50,000+ Ratings
Soon after buying an expensive cello, Daigo Kobayashi (Masahiro Motoki) learns that his orchestra is disbanding. Daigo and his wife move back to his hometown in northern Japan, where he answers an ad for what he thinks is a travel agency but is, in actuality, a mortuary. As he learns and carries out the rituals used in preparing the dead for their final rest, Daigo finds his true calling in life.
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Departures

Departures

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Critics Consensus

If slow and predictable, Departures is a quiet, life affirming story.

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Critics Reviews

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Tony Rayns Film Comment Magazine The scripting of Departures (by Kundo Koyama, the one-man TV-drama writing factory who nurtured such delights as Iron Chef) is embarrassingly clunky and obvious: the movie's essential hollowness reveals itself with unusual starkness. Nov 17, 2013 Full Review Philip De Semlyen Empire Magazine Heart-warming, funny, wise and profound. Not to be missed. Rated: 5/5 Dec 4, 2009 Full Review Trevor Johnston Time Out The movie gestures towards deep emotions, but an abiding soft-grained superficiality effectively insulates us from the piercing realities of grief. Rated: 2/5 Dec 4, 2009 Full Review Diana Tuova Spotlight on Film Departures is not just a well-made film, but also a cinematic vehicle to help break down the social prejudice that many morticians still face in Japan. Rated: 4.5/5 Aug 9, 2024 Full Review Mattie Lucas From the Front Row A charming, winning piece of filmmaking that, while in no way deserving of the title of Best Foreign Language film of this or any year, is a heartwarming and bittersweet tale that hits all the right notes. Rated: 3/4 Aug 5, 2019 Full Review Antonio Sison National Catholic Reporter In "Departures, life and death are two expressive movements of one musical" piece. Neither is taken as a polar opposite of the other; they dance rhythmically, like the ebb and flow of the ocean tide. May 1, 2019 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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John L This is a beautifully crafted motion picture about the sacredness of death rituals. These rituals include the preparation of the body of the deceased and a profound focus on the family connections to the deceased. Its is meditative and, I think, will give the viewer a different (and much more fulfilling) understanding of death. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 09/08/25 Full Review Daniel C. M A very beautiful movie, both in appearance and in it's contents. Great sound design and direction makes for very atmospheric and meaningful shots, coupled with the amazing story with great and eternal themes, this is one of the best Japanese movies ever made. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/25/25 Full Review Q A Proof that the greatest films are those that capture the incredibly nuanced emotions that thread the mundane. No loud explosions, special effects, or ridiculous plots. Just purposeful and compelling storytelling. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 05/08/25 Full Review Areli A Absolutamente bella, una de mis peliculas favoritas Rated 5 out of 5 stars 04/30/25 Full Review Dean O My favorite foreign film. The touching scenes and dealing with the sensitive subject of death. How a man mistakenly applies for job that he thought was something else. A man scorned for working that kind of job, but how he overcame their scorn and became respected as a professional who treated the deceased with the upmost respect and care. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/17/24 Full Review dave s A cellist living in Tokyo, Daigo (Masahiro Motoki) is forced to return to his hometown when funding is pulled from his orchestra. Unbeknownst to his wife, he accepts a position that involves preparing the deceased for their final departure, leading him to reevaluate his life and, perhaps more importantly, his relationships with those around him. Departures is a languid, meditative film, meticulously directed and beautifully shot – every shot is perfectly framed and expertly blocked. The characters all resonate in some way, regardless of their views on Daigo's profession or their own responses to death. It is a moving and impactful film that, despite the subject matter, is never overly sentimental or maudlin. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Departures

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Cast & Crew

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Yojiro Takita

Director

Masahiro Motoki

Daigo Kobayashi

Tsutomu Yamazaki

Ikuei Sasaki

Ryôko Hirosue

Mika Kobayashi

Kazuko Yoshiyuki

Tsuyako Yamashita

Kimiko Yo

Yuriko Uemura
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Departures

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Movie Info

Synopsis Soon after buying an expensive cello, Daigo Kobayashi (Masahiro Motoki) learns that his orchestra is disbanding. Daigo and his wife move back to his hometown in northern Japan, where he answers an ad for what he thinks is a travel agency but is, in actuality, a mortuary. As he learns and carries out the rituals used in preparing the dead for their final rest, Daigo finds his true calling in life.
Director
Yojiro Takita
Screenwriter
Kundo Koyama
Distributor
Regent Releasing
Production Co
Shochiku
Rating
PG-13 (Thematic Material)
Genre
Drama
Original Language
Japanese
Release Date (Theaters)
May 29, 2009, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Dec 22, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$1.5M
Runtime
2h 10m
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