A Certain Kind of Death

Those who still think that everyone is equal in death, are in for a surprise with this film. Painfully meticulous, without turning away or blinking, A Certain Kind of Death examines how several unnamed dead people (who will receive a name and history during the film) met their ends alone and deserted by everyone. Literally from the moment of finding the corpse (it may not be horror, but it’s a film for adults) and the investigation by the coroner, the makers follow the investigators of the municipal service (Los Angeles County) that tries to reconstruct the background or a social network. Through its preciseness and following all activities and details step by step, the film makers show how cold and routinely things like this are dealt with by civil servants. Behind the single cases in the film there are many others and behind them other dramas. Together they form an uncomfortable bottom layer of a society that is so proud of its dream of self realisation (and self enrichment), but has so little regard for those who cannot compete. A topical film that will unfortunately not date quickly. (GjZ)