21 Grams – Classic Film Review 716

Sean Penn plays a dying mathematician in dire need of a heart transplant, Naomi Watts is a mother mourning the death of her family, Benicio Del Del Toro is a born-again convict, out of jail after a murder, and Charlotte Gainsbourg is Penn’s put-upon wife. How are these four lives linked?

The 2003 art-house hit 21 Grams is filmed in great style by director Alejandro Gonzáles Iñârrîtu and his cinematographer Rodrigo Prîeto (even if the hand-held camerawork is relentless and often ugly). But screenwriter Guîllermo Arrîaga’s yarn is very contrived and there would certainly not be enough story here if the film unfolded in a straightforward linear fashion, instead of the jumping about all over the place way it’s presented here for no good reason apart from being arty.

Acting wise, everyone’s very good indeed – but then we’ve seen these fine actors do these performances before – in this American outing for the director of the far better Amores Perros. There were Oscar nominations for Del Toro as best supporting actor and Watts as best actress.

21 Grams is supposedly the weight of the human soul, lost at the point of death. We are all supposed to lose 21 grams at the exact moment we die.

The film was shot in chronological order, even though it’s not in chronological order in its final cut.

(C) Derek Winnert 2014 Classic Film Review 716 derekwinnert.com