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Your Gateway to Music and More from a Christian Perspective Slow down as you approach the gate, and have your change ready.... |
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21 Grams During an Oscar race between historical epics and big-budget films, it's nice to see a film like 21 Grams come along that delivers on its promise through an engaging story, and strong acting. 21 Grams is the story of what happens to a college professor (Sean Penn), a mother (Naomi Watts), and a convicted ex-con turned devout Christian (Benicio Del Toro) when an accident occurs that connects the lives of the three strangers. To divulge any more of the story would be to do a disservice to the filmmaking of Alenjandro Gonzalez Inarritu, who lays a surprise around each corner in a layered plot that builds in intensity as it progresses. The story unfolds in a non-linear format. It is difficult to judge whether this method helps or hinders the film. In some ways it seems unnecessary because at many junctures an event is already given away before it occurs. At the same time, this foreknowledge of what will occur from the scraps that the viewer pieces together gives the film a much stronger emotional impact as the events resonate in a much deeper way. Ultimately it is this emotional impact that makes the film worthwhile. The acting is an amazing site to behold. Penn, Watts, and Del Toro all have well-developed characters with very real struggles. All three actors shine in their roles. As always, Sean Penn brings the perfect touch to his character Paul Rivers, a man who faces death if he doesn't get a heart transplant soon. His struggle with what is imminent is played off perfectly. Naomi Watts gives the best performance of her career as Cristina Peck, the grieving mother with incredibly conflicted emotions. It seems like the role she was born to play. And then there is Benicio Del Toro as Jack Jordan, the former convict who has fully embraced Christianity. This is one of the most interesting aspects of the film because when the tide rises in the character's life, it is found that his faith was on shaky ground. His beliefs were built around empty words that he never truly hid in the depths of his heart. The realization that Del Toro's character comes to about his faith is almost heartbreaking. The film's cinematography is very gritty. Many handheld shots are used and natural lighting is found throughout. This gives life to the film. On the other hand, the editing in the film throws things off a bit. It seems that particular scenes should be given a bit more time to play out before cutting to another distant piece in the non-linear tale. The constant cuts between scenes are difficult to handle at first, but as the film progresses it's easier to grow into the pattern. In a film that would otherwise be near flawless, the worst misstep is using voiceovers near the beginning and end of the film. A weak device, this strategy hardly works in conveying the same depth that is poured out so strongly in the rest of the film. In going along with the voiceover problem, Paul Rivers' contemplation on 21 grams and what it is at the end of the film does not work very well with the themes the rest of the story conveys. This new idea is brought in at the last second and weakens the powerful scenes we have just witnessed. It would have worked much better to see the characters grapple with chance, faith, and grace in light of what has happened at the end of the film instead of throwing in a new thought last minute. Even so, in this crowded time of year at the cinema, 21 Grams is one of the very best offerings available. Whether or not it finds Oscar glory, the cast and crew can be content in the fact that they played a part in an excellent film. Trae Cadenhead 12/17/2003
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