21 Grams (2003)
“God even knows when a single hair moves on your head”
This was Alejandro González Iñárritu’s first English language film and first with an internationally recognised cast. And what a stellar cast it is.
However, the premise:
From a silent beginning, we quickly inter cut into the lives of all three main characters and their unconnected lives. Just two minutes in, and already we have a twisted back to front time line, with past/present and future events all quickly flashed before the audience, but in small segments and with the same characters looking vastly different in each sequence. An early example is Sean Penn (brilliant throughout), dying from an as yet unexplained medical condition, to very definitely dying from a gunshot wound, to standing tall, fresh and well and meeting a friend.
Yep, it’s an Alejandro González Iñárritu movie!
The cast, and some incredible cameos and supporting roles deserve full explanation. Sean Penn plays “Paul” a married mathematics Professor requiring a heart transplant. Penn, one of the most underrated actors of his generation is on stunning form as the non linear timeline shows him from triumphant and exultant to weak and fragile in a manner of frames. Naomi Watts plays “Cristina”, housewife and Mum of two girls in another stand out and heart breaking performance, rightfully deserving of her Best Actress Nomination at the Oscars.
Equally so Benicio Del Toro as “Jack”, a reformed criminal and born again Christian. His astonishing and breath taking performance was also rewarded with an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. All characters are complex (to say the least) but Del Toro’s torn and questioning Jack is incredible. All three main characters are shot repeatedly in extreme close ups with Del Toro in particular, shot from way below eye level and upward, enhancing his dominance of the scenes and more than a nod to his religious devotion.
In supporting roles, Melissa Leo is fantastic as “Marianne”, wife of Jack, equally Charlotte Gainsbourg as “Mary”, wife of Penn’s character Paul. Danny Houston is underused even in a cameo role as “Michael”, however Eddie Marsan as “Reverend John” is superb in a thunderous cameo role.
Cleverly cut for each main character, scene by scene, often from massive high and massive low, their lives begin to intersect on many levels, sometimes subconsciously, but with the twisted time line often immediately evident for the audience. The audience too questions why, how and when the characters are now together, but you’re invested in the characters and rooting for their redemption. There are also many key character juxtapositions, a sick man desperately struggling with his health trying to masturbate in a hospital, a Preacher, espousing the love and forgiveness of God starting a fight, a health conscious and dedicated Mother, heavily drinking and smoking.
Key themes of the meaning of life, of love, devotion and respect are evident. As are the obvious themes of faith, religion and redemption. The title refers to the supposed weight loss experienced at the time of death and this has been interpreted as the moving on of the soul. Watching and re watching this film, this is deliberately its main theme. But leaving aside the themes, this is another Iñárritu character study and as always his characters are rich in depth and the actors portraying them the very best there is.
A triumph.
“21 Grams” can also be found within my 7 volumes of “Essential Film Reviews Collection” on Amazon with each and every volume free to read should you have a Kindle “Unlimited” package. All 9 of my self-published books can also be read for free on Kindle (but go on, treat yourself to a paperback or hardback version!) and should you watch my short Youtube video linked in the middle of this article you’ll also find links to my Patreon and Buy Me A Coffee and other ways of supporting my work as an independent writer.
"The Essential Film Reviews Collection VOL.7" - link to Amazon
Thanks for reading. I hope this message in a bottle in The Matrix finds you well, prospering, and the right way up in an upside down world.