1. Except for Miyazaki Jun's cartoons, I rarely watch Japanese films. Compared with its slow pace, I would rather experience the ups and downs and thrills of Hollywood blockbusters. But "The Embalmer", which won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film last year, changed my inherent concept!
This is a movie about respecting life and death. The protagonist Kobayashi Daigo was originally a cello player in a Tokyo orchestra. He wanted to make a career, but after four months of orchestral performance, he received the bad news that "the orchestra was disbanded" and a high debt to buy musical instruments. . As a last resort, Dawu and his wife Meixiang returned to their hometown and lived a life of poverty. Soon, he was misled by an advertisement with words such as "no age limit, high salary guarantee, billed according to actual working hours, travel assistant, NK agent", etc. Unknown to the truth, he became a person who specializes in sending the deceased to a peaceful land. Enter the undertaker.
From pretending to be the deceased to filming the burial guide DV, to having close contact with the deceased for the first time - an old lady living alone who has been decomposing for two weeks. His life fell from the top to a miserable bottom. He returned home every day with a tired body. Even if he saw the meat cooked by his wife on the dinner table, he would feel like vomiting. Moreover, because he could not speak about Meixiang, he could only be alone at first. Struggling in pain? But gradually, under the guidance of the eccentric and serious-working president Sasaki, he gradually fell in love with this special job and understood that every life has its own unique value. Such a "death ritual" can satisfy the wishes of the deceased, buffer the grief of the living for the passing of the deceased, and leave a last "beautiful" memory for the family of the deceased - this is the real purpose of this job. The meaning.
This is a movie with a positive meaning. Although it does not talk about religion, it still makes people feel as peaceful and sacred as religion. Watching the embalmer with a solemn and peaceful expression, strictly following specific procedures, reverently bathing, dressing, and applying make-up to the deceased, one feels: death is not scary - it is not a return, but a departure. Perhaps, the work of encoffining is meaningless to the deceased, but it is the only opportunity for the living to release their unspeakable emotions. Since people think that life is as gorgeous as summer flowers, then death should be as quiet and beautiful as autumn leaves. Therefore, the encoffining ceremony is the final and heaviest respect expressed by the living to the deceased. It is precisely because the encoffiner understands all this that he can always win people's respect and respect for this industry with his respect for the deceased at the last moment. Change.
The tone of the entire film is elegant, melancholy, calm, and restrained - light yellow grass, silver-gray woods, gurgling water, and vast snow-capped mountains. With a typical Japanese aesthetic, the plot and dialogue are alternately It is heavy and brings tears to the eyes; sometimes it is light-hearted and humorous, making people laugh. In most movies, death is often shown as the result of blood and violence. Only this movie can make people seriously think about and feel death, and also get inspiration from life and awe of life. It is a feeling that comes from deep within, not just sadness and pain.
Finally, I would like to end with a meaningful quote from the film: "Resurrection of the already cold body, granting it eternal beauty. That is accurate, calm, and a supreme love. In The last time I bid farewell to my old friend, quietly, every move was so beautiful?"
2. Rejuvenate a person who has become cold and give him eternal beauty. "This is the president's heart-warming explanation of the career of an embalmer, and it is also the reason why I was uniquely moved by the movie "Encoffiant".
In the film, Kobayashi Daigo, who lost his job due to the dissolution of his band, He had no choice but to return to his hometown in the countryside with his wife, and accidentally became an undertaker. In the process of contact with death, Dawu gradually realized the true meaning of the profession of an undertaker, from rejection to acceptance, from fear to love. This job that ordinary people avoid has brought him countless misunderstandings and contempt, and even his wife left him. However, Dawu still chose to persevere after hesitation, and finally won people's understanding.
The melodious and rich music of the cello breaks the silence of death and takes us to feel the torrent of Dawu's heart. The fear and pain at first made his soul feel hesitant. With the encouragement of the president, he reluctantly persisted and began a life different from ordinary people. In the process of facing life and death again and again, Dawu gradually understood the true responsibility of an embalmer: to give respect and tranquility to the deceased, and truly fell in love with this unusual profession. As Lin Huiyin said: "Everything will always become easy as long as you are willing." Xiao Lin Dawu enjoys the process of making the dead regain their beauty in life, so he can ignore the disdainful eyes of others and the bitter ridicule of relatives and friends. Even if his family members laugh at him for "making money from dead people," and even if his wife can't understand and leaves, she doesn't want to give up.
In my opinion, it was the tenderness and persistence in Xiaolin Dawu’s heart that made him pursue his dream firmly. Even if he was in pain, even if he was sad, even if he was confused, he still persevered and used Move and change others with your own actions. He used his care and gentleness to help the young mother regain her beauty; to put on the stockings she wanted for the deceased grandmother; to tie her favorite yellow silk scarf for the mother-in-law in the bathhouse. At this moment, he is not only working for money, but also working for his heart. He has become a qualified undertaker, regardless of experience or reputation, just because of his kind and gentle heart. From the relieved and guilty "He is my son", from the regretful and missed "Today is her most beautiful day", from the grateful and affectionate "My child's father, thank you", Xiao Lin Dawu felt the true love in the world. , and also found his happiness and his belonging.
"Death may be a door. Passing away is not the end, but transcendence and a journey." Kobayashi Dawu allowed the deceased to walk through this door with dignity, winning people's respect and recognition. . As Kobayashi Dawu grows up, along with this story of laughter and tears, I understand: love can create miracles.
2. "This is the first time I have opposed you," Meixiang said to Kobayashi Dawu. "This is how you play the cello, and it will be the same if you want to return to Yamagata Mountain Village."
I like and admire Dawu's wife very much. The deepest impression she gave me was her smile. After Dawu's cello troupe disbanded, she also wanted to actively repay the loan with Dawu. When Dawu said she wanted to go back to her hometown, she agreed with a smile on her face. He also said, "You can save money on rent by living in the house left by your mother." At that time, I felt that Dawu must be the happiest person in the world, with someone who supports him so much.
The first time I watched Dawu’s mannequin video, I watched it happily: the foam that the president accidentally wiped into Dawu’s nostrils was still opening and closing with his breathing. After his face was shaved by the president, he said in horror, "It hurts, it hurts." It made me feel so funny. This is my view from the perspective of a bystander. If I were his wife, I would definitely be as shocked as Mei Xiang when I first saw this film! Everyone hopes that their relatives can have a normal job, and it is best to It means not dealing with things that are taboo to everyone - who can bear to deal with dead people every day? This time, Meixiang did not follow Dawu and returned to her parents' home angrily.
But there is still affection between Xiaolin Dawu and Meixiang. A few days later, Meixiang came back again, still wearing her signature sweet smile, and this time she brought back their child. Meixiang persuaded Dawu to give up this job. She was afraid that they would not be able to talk to their children in the future - her father's profession was an embalmer. However, the death of the bathhouse proprietress changed Meixiang's view. That was the first time Meixiang saw Dawu being buried. Meixiang finally understood what her husband was doing. Meixiang suddenly understood how noble the profession of "helping others embark on their journey" is. Dawu is a person who pays attention to details. He remembers the happy look of the landlady wearing a goose-yellow silk scarf. I think at this time, he is an excellent encoffiant, because the president also pays attention to details when helping others to commit suicide. Meixiang began to understand her husband's work.
The ending is beautiful. When Meixiang said, "My husband is an undertaker," she fully accepted her husband's choice. Dawu's attitude towards the deceased was in sharp contrast to the attitude of the people who came to work for his father.
It was his wife who urged him to come. During Xiaolin's burial process for his father, when he took out the small stone from his father's hand, the hatred in his heart turned into love. The ice in Xiao Lin's heart melted and turned into tears. The pain dissipated with the warmth in his chest.
Meixiang played a decisive role in Xiaolin Dawu's life. Although there were twists and turns, the love between them lasted forever due to understanding and affection.