Saw '21 Grams' over Spring Break. Thought I'd write a quick review.


You probably won't find a better acted movie around. Each part no matter how big or small was acted pitch perfectly. I was particularly impressed with Benicio Del Toro. He was 100% believable as the former ex-con turned Christian crusader. Everytime he came on screen, I found myself playing extra close attention to what was going on. He may very well be one of the best actors around these days. Someone else who could make that claim of being one of the best actors around is Sean Penn. He really knows how to sink his teeth into a role and make it memorable. After watching Naomi Watts in the role, I'm not so sure that Charlize Theron deseved the Academy Award. I guess it could have gone either way, but Naomi Watts did a most excellent job in her role.

Alejandro González Iñárritu is quickly becoming one of the best directors around. Like Tarantino, he really knows how to play with form and narrative to make it something new and fresh. I'm always fascinated by movies where people from different walks of life are somehow linked with one another. Alejandro Inarritu chose to tell his story non-sequenced, much in the same way that Pulp Fiction was told. My only complaint with his telling of the movie in non sequential order was that it wasn't always clear what scenes were in the past, the future, and which ones were happening right now. Maybe if I see it again, it'll be more clear. But upon initial viewing, it's a bit difficult to tell what was going on.

The movie is as hard as they come. There really isn't anything light for fun to offset the heavy dialogue and themes that they were trying to get across. Which is fine. But it sure made for a heavy night at the movies.

Overall, a pretty solid movie with terrific acting. Would I see it again? Maybe if it was on television and I had absolutely nothing else to do. :)

matt out