| Gripping, compelling, resonant, and true to life |
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| written by SBarnett |
May 23, 2006 - 3:36 PM PDT |
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4 out of 4 members found this review helpful
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| The only reason not to give this 10 stars is that its ambition is relatively limited--the story of three people's negotiation with life. But this is not to take anything away from the film. It gets better with each viewing. On the third viewing, you begin to understand why each segment of the story is presented where it is--the way the scenes are linked by subtle visual and thematic elements rather than strict chronology. A straightforward example early on is when we see Paul Rivers (Sean Penn) sitting in front of an empty pool with a revolver in his hand, and the next scene is Cristina Peck (Naomi Watts) swimming laps with her sister. The story was definitely not randomly divided into segments. Although this film would've been just as good as "Amores perros" or "Crash" if it had been presented strictly chronologically, it's a better film with more impact because of the way the scenes are presented. The director should be applauded for this, because a strictly chronological presentation would no doubt have attracted more viewers and made more money, at the expense of the film. The acting is absolutely riveting. Sean Penn, Naomi Watts, and especially Benecio del Toro were tremendous. This film has at its heart a dialogue about religion and the meaning of life (death), and to its credit it doesn't proselytize or condemn--it remains true to the struggle. It leaves you with questions--what is lost in death? What is gained? |
| 21 Grams, and 2 hours of your life |
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| written by REVDRG |
March 27, 2005 - 9:40 AM PST |
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4 out of 4 members found this review helpful
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| Powerful performances, and a plot line that keeps you guessing, are the reasons to watch this film. 21 Grams pace is sometimes cumbersome, and this film really does demand your full attention. Do not play this movie while you are cleaning the house, or reading the paper. It's very dramatic and unforgiving in tone, so be ready for that type of film when you watch this. |
| Too Demanding |
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| written by squad |
September 17, 2004 - 7:52 PM PDT |
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3 out of 8 members found this review helpful
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| There is very, very little about the 21 gram theory (mythical or not) in this movie. The time sequence and character placement is very chopped up and it annoyed rather than interesting me. It is a grim movie involving heart transplants, hit and run accidents, drug use, and jail scenes, along with children as innocent direct and indirect victims. Sean Penn is seen masturbating, vomiting, in open heart surgery, and his unattractive nude body in a sex scene. Del Toro is an interesting actor and carried the film from my point of view. Unfortunately when compared to the root canal I had this week "21 Grams" comes out the loser. |
| Intense |
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| written by WZoller |
June 18, 2004 - 2:37 PM PDT |
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2 out of 3 members found this review helpful
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| Interesting concept, well-acted, and not as difficult to follow as Memento. Would recommend this to others looking for a well done story from an independent movie maker. |
| More intense than expected |
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| written by onemadhatter |
April 12, 2004 - 11:45 AM PDT |
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10 out of 10 members found this review helpful
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| I was somewhat surprised by this film. It did not seem to generate very much press or notice and I myself knew very little before watching this film. At times, the drama was very intense and I felt that the storyline was unique. I rated the movie higher (I gave an 8) than what most others did, but I think others may have felt a lack of fulfillment when the credits roll because there seem to be loose ends hanging in terms of character development and the plot's climax. Benicio del Toro turns in another fine performance so I would definitely recommend this movie to anyone who loves his work. Naomi Watts was also excellent and surprised me at how good she was. I think that if you are someone who likes independent movies and non-traditional plot lines, then this is worth a look. |
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