A town has lost most of its children in a deadly school bus incident, and a lawyer has come to help the people get compensated. Ian Holm is the lawyer in The Sweet Hereafter, an extremely wonderful and beautiful film.

The most noticeably distinct part of The Sweet Hereafter is the direction. The cinematography, the music, and everything else is perfect. Also, the movie works in a non-chronological pattern, as the story unfolds in several different time periods. The acting is terrific, especially from Ian Holm, and I was kept entertained the entire time.

The only small downside of the film is the confusing ending. One of the characters admits something, but then we are later told that she lied. First off, I do not understand if she really does lie, and if she does, what purpose it serves. Either way, it seems like sort of a hasty ending.

The Sweet Hereafter is a beautiful film. See it.

Review by Erik Samdahl. Erik is a marketing and technology executive by day, avid movie lover by night. He is a member of the Seattle Film Critics Society.