Life after Beth
Director: Jeff Baena
Talent: Aubrey Plaza, Dane Dehaan, John C. Reilly, Matthew Gray Gubler
Release Date: 1st October 2014
Twenty-something Zach is in mourning after the death of his girlfriend. Riddled by guilt, it’s no surprise he latches on to the possibility that she’s still alive. But what does this return from the beyond mean?
While this opens with some quietly perceptive views on the purgatory of grief and the claustrophobic culture of white, American suburbia, with the return of the titular Beth the film goes through a bizarre, rather unsubtle metamorphosis. It ends up in something like a collaboration between Richard Linklater and Sam Raimi. Humorous and irreverent, this is not to be taken seriously, and while it’s a little too obvious how much fun the cast had on set, there’s still some great performances, especially from Dehaan. A film that will probably amuse, bemuse and alienate in equal measure.
Words: Eoghain Meakin
