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Yar, you be here: 21 Grams > Customer Reviews 21 Grams Customer Reviews (22 - 24 of 78 Reviews)one of the best films of 2003
it's been awhile since we've seen anything quite this moving or deep in the mulitplex cinemas but 21 grams will definately move you & leave you speechless. let's first look at what we are working with & you'll see why. for those of you who remember amorres perros three years ago, the same director has crafted a new masterpiece which actually rivals or transcends when compared. 21 grams is as compelling as it suspenseful & complex. here we have three different people whose path will eventually cross at one point or another & the end results are inevitably tragic even though we may have a greater appreciation of life after viewing this film. while the film may start out a bit confusing with the flashbacks & characterization, i encourage you to stick with it as you are in for a real emotional treat which in my opinion can't be touched by any other film in the multiplex currently. although sean penn always delivers the goods, 21 grams also provides us with flawless character depictions from naomi watts & benicio del toro who definately give oscar caliber performances. i sat in the theatre & i could not move a muscle as i watched these tortured souls lives unravel before my eyes. it's virtually impossible not to feel something for them as they grieve, search, & try to mend their broken spirits throughout the course of two hours. 21 grams poses many questions to us about the life we live & about the choices we make everyday which effect those around us. if there is any justice in this world, naomi watts will take home the oscar for best actress. do not let this film pass you by. i urge you to go out & see it now!!! An intense emotional rollercoaster ride
2003 has definitely been Sean Penn's year. He was in two of the best dramas that I had seen on the big screen in years, "Mystic River" and "21 Grams". I recently saw "21 Grams" this weekend. I had been dying to see it because of the critical acclaim over the performances from Sean Penn, Naomi Watts, and Benicio Del Toro. At first I wasn't planning on seeing it because I kept seeing the trailer for it in the theatre and Sean Penn's dialogue about losing 21 grams when you die got on my nerves. Needless to say I was eating crow after I just saw the film. Like "Mystic River", "21 Grams" is a very bleak, and devastatingly emotional film. "21 Grams" should have been nominated for best picture instead of "Master and Commander" (overblown epic) or "Seabiscuit" (oversentimental flick) in my opinion. Sean Penn plays a mathematics professor Paul Rivers. He has a heart condition that is slowly killing him. Despite that, he continually smokes like a chimmney. His marriage to Mary (actress Charlotte Gainsbourg) is shaky at best. I thought Charlotte Gainsbourg was quite good as Mary, if not overlooked. It was a quiet yet emotional performance. To Mary, Paul was her achilles' heel while cigarettes were Paul's drug of choice. Naomi Watts puts in an equally devastating performance in this film as Christina Peck, the housewife/recovering addict who loses her family in one day. If Charlie Theron doesn't win the Oscar, then I hope Naomi wins the Oscar for Best Actress. She was absolutely wonderful in the film. The two highlights of the film for me were the performances by Benecio Del Toro as Jack Jordan and former "Homicide" actress Melissa Leo. Those two actors made the film for me. Jack was such an interesting character. He was an ex-con who turned to Jesus yet continually found himself returning to his violent ways. Melissa played Jack's long-suffering wife. Her performance was just as good as Naomi Watts. As much as she loved her husband, she was tired of the constant torture he inflicts on himself especially the guilt of the act of committing vehicular homicide. A friend of mine said she didn't want to see this film because it was a drug movie. Although there are drugs in the film, they are not the centerpiece of the film. Love, redemption, and forgiveness is what "21 Grams" is about. Granted it is bleak and depressing but in the end what it boils down to is love, redemption, and forgiveness. My only flaw with the film was the way it was edited. It took me a few minutes to realize that the film was edited to show what lead up to each scene. It was a bit confusing but I guess it made the film more interesting. Nevertheless, "21 Grams" is evidence that human emotions makes for good drama.
Do you remember "Memento"? It moved backwards and forwards in time and jumped from character to character with dizzying frequency. But, out of what initially seemed to be a randomly baffling approach, an intriguing "a-ha" pattern emerged. 21 Grams is perhaps the only other non-linear screenplay I can think of that will keep you absolutely riveted from start to end. It follows director Inarrito's (of "Amores Perros" acclaim) trademark jigsaw narrative -- a kaleidoscope of cinematic vignettes and moments that first intercut, and then gradually fold back into a powerful tale of tragedy and redemption. It is not easy to provide any kind of plot summary without revealing spoilers, so let's stick to the barebone essentials. The fates of our three main protagonists intertwine at a crucial moment. Paul (Sean Penn) is a math professor with a bad heart. His marriage to Mary (Charlotte Gainsbourg) seems as doomed as he is, but she refuses to leave him in his terminal state. Jack (Benicio Del Toro) is an ex-con who has reformed his life through religious recourse. But there are times, especially in his home life, when glimpses of his past personality shine through. Christine (Naomi Watts) is a happily married woman with a loving husband and two delightful daughters. She is content with her daily routine until events send her life spinning out of control, impelling her back into the drug-induced haze from which her marriage rescued her. I won't be surprised one bit if Oscar comes calling here. This is a movie not to be missed this year! It's creative, engaging, intriguing. I look forward to the DVD because this is one for your collections.
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