classicsoncall
Even devotees of non-linear story telling movies might have some difficulty with this picture. The very early sequences of the movie tend to leave one confused and disoriented, seeming as if the principal characters have an established relationship to each other. That idea gets quickly negated as the film moves forward, and you're left scratching your head over something you might have just seen that doesn't make sense any more. It goes on like this for a while until the pieces of the puzzle eventually fall into place, by which time you begin to understand that none of the central characters is particularly appealing and the kind of people you want to root for. A good part of that is owed to the exceptional performances of Sean Penn, Naomi Watts and Benicio del Toro, all of whom demonstrate a wide range of thought and emotion demonstrated by their characters. Naomi Watts in particular delivers an outstanding performance in the role of a widow who's lost not only her husband, but two young daughters as well, in an accident that eventually brings all three figures together in an astonishing climax. The '21 Grams' the movie's title refers to dates all the way back to a pseudo-scientific experiment done in 1901 by a physician named Duncan MacDougall, who was convinced the human soul had weight, and that it could be measured at the time of death by taking the before and after weights of people about to die. Though the experiment was highly flawed, the result the experimenter came up with has lived on as an urban legend of sorts. Upon thoughtful consideration, that really has nothing to do with the premise of this story, as it's thrown into the script one time for matters of association but with no bearing on anything that actually happened in it. Before watching the film, '21 grams' sounded like it could have referred to a quantity of drugs involved in some fatal overdose scenario, but instead it might be the amount of brain power required to concentrate on the film until it's baffling conclusion. Anyone else wondering whether Sean Penn's character shot himself accidentally or on purpose?
Andres Benatar
Life at times can be so confusing that it is questioned constantly to the point of utter and unsolvable frustration. In more primitive times, we often dissected the idea of the soul to the basis of a religious aspect, with God being the initial cause behind it, believing that it would last forever. That was then, and in our present time, the concept of a higher being is used for simply emotional and spiritual matters, rather than for scientific progression. It's not a proposition to dismiss, but something that can't be tested in ways to draw valuable conclusions. The title of 21 Grams, is based on the research of Dr. Duncan MacDougall, a twentieth century physician who tried to prove the existence of the immortal human soul. His experiments involved using patients who were on the verge of death. At the time of death, his first patient lost three fourths of an ounce, which Duncan felt was more accurate, as it accumulated to twenty one grams. The other patients had varying measurements. Skepticism was drawn as to whether his research was accurate, or in the proper direction, but aside from the measurements, 21 Grams is more of a philosophically themed film, rather than one basing its premise on a scientific hypothesis as though it were an accurate fact. It is a brilliant and captivating drama nevertheless, directed by Alejandro Gonzalez, and it examines the lives of three individuals who are all brought together by a tragedy. Very much like Innarritu's directorial debut Amores Peros, 21 Grams is told in a nonlinear narrative, with more disorientation, and with equally compelling performances that test the true potential of its lead actors, as they capture the pain and dysfunction of characters, who often crumble when faced with the notion of death, in a world where life will always be a mystery worth questioning. The film's plot centers on three characters, who are all on the verge of death. Paul (Penn) is a mathematics professor who needs a heart transplant, otherwise he'll die. Christina (Watts) is a recovering addict who is shown to be going back on drugs. And Jack (Del Toro) is an ex-con who finds solace in Christianity, regardless of how extreme a path he follows, so long as it suppresses his animalistic nature. At first each character's life seems basic and stable, given their circumstances, but as the result of a horrid car crash, a chain of events is triggered that brings all three of these characters into confronting a truth that sill baffles human beings to this very day in the focus of its acceptance. Being a recovering addict, Christina is shown at an A.A. meeting, expressing her gratitude for her two daughters and husband Michael (Huston), believing that without them, she would never have been able to conquer her addiction. Sadly that reality comes to pass as they are killed in a car accident, with Jack being the driver. As a result, Michael's death does not go to waist, as his heart is donated to Paul. Despite his fortune though, Paul feels forever changed with his new heart. He tries to brush off the feeling, and continue his life, but it initially continues to reemerge, given that he now questions his identity, which is something we constantly do within our existence. After turning himself, Jack's faith is tested, and even decimated to the point of an attempted suicide. At times, he believes he was chosen for a purpose. Other times, he curses God enough to quote the most sinister verses in the bible, and reinterpret the mind, rather than the flesh being hell. Christina on the other hand turns back to drugs, while reacting with violent aggression. Her family tries to help her cope with her loss, telling her that in the face of death, life still goes on. Christina rejects this, believing it to be nonsense, while succumbing to her own paralysis, while frequently using drugs to numb her pain even more. Paul simply follows Christina, out of a curiosity to understand who he is now, knowing that he has someone else's heart, as if that person's essence lives on inside him. When these characters do collide, then more chaos ensues, as they embark on their own paths of self-destruction. The resolutions are left with open ended conclusions, and simply the idea that regardless of how much tranquility and suffering takes place, life must go on. It is the circle of life and the face of death. It all goes in that of a cycle. But then again, 21 Grams doesn't really answer any questions. It merely supplements its ambiguity with its complex and disoriented narrative as a means of strengthening its chaotic theme. The performances by Sean Penn, Naomi Watts, and Benicio Del Toro are so dysfunctional, that to believe their suffering has an actual point would be an obtuse way of looking at the story. It seems as though Innarritu's intention is to create a film where there is no definitive answer, other than, this is how things are, and the only thing people can do, regardless of the circumstances is accept them and move forward. A film like 21 Grams does not give a more clear and concise answer. It simply plays on the mystery of the question, using the weight of the soul as one of the factors of our curiosity. Where it originates from, or where it goes after is a compelling mystery indeed, as it sums up the notion of existence to a dilemma that involves love, joy, pain, and suffering beyond comprehension. In the middle of the film, Jack's wife, played by Mellissa Leo says that, "life goes on with or without God." It's a sad, but true statement, and a film as depressing as 21 Grams does offer a sense of hope in this cluster of confusion, but merely within the questioning we still endow upon ourselves as we continue to seek answers and experience the sensation of life.
