Rating: 
Summary: The Best Film of Year!
Review: Without a doubt the best film of the year. Although there have been other great films this year(Lost in Translation, Mystic River,Elephant), this and Kill Bill are the only ones that adavnce the art of filmmaking. Alejandro Inarritu creates one of the rawest, darkest works of art ever captured on film. Sean Penn and Benicio Del Toro are simply amazing, and both deserving of oscars, but this film belongs to Naomi Watts. I have not seen a better female performance in years(although Charlize Theoron is getting major hype for Monster which comes out later this month)and if she is not one of the frontrunners to grab the oscar, than something is seriously wrong with the academy. There is not a moment of this film that is not necassary and that becomes painfully clear at the end. This is not a film that you can easily forget. It will haunt your memory for years to come. Probably the best american film since American Beauty, or at least since Traffic. An absolute masterpeice of modern filmmaking.
Rating: 
Summary: Good but not great
Review: It seems that films are highly rated if they do an effective job showing the gritty, underbelly of our lives - this film does that well. But that is all it does consistently well. But the story, while having a great premise, the director does not take us deep into the souls of these characters. Sean Penn was too subtle and Naomi Watts was "acting" to much. Benicio Del Toro was excellent. The story is non-linear, and does come together well about mid-way through. Unlike Momento, I do not see why that technique is used in this film, except to foreshadow events a little. I think it keeps depth and soul from building. Mystic River is better.
Rating:
Summary: Thespians' paradise & González Iñárritu's respect for fans
Review: "21 Grams" is a thespians' paradise. Sean Penn, Benecio Del Toro, and Naomi Watts deliver 80% or more of all the dialogue in this film. And it's really saying something that Penn - the actor's actor - gets pushed to the side a bit by Del Toro and - especially - Watts. She's the real revelation here. I see now that she was just taking a little, breezy holiday in Merchant-Ivory's recent "Le Divorce." She's nothing short of stunning here at the moment of her true heartbreak: her face goes ghostly white and she collapses on her Dad. Never has acting looked so life-like. You almost want to look away because it feels like you're peering in on someone's real-life pathos. It's that good. If that one scene alone doesn't garner Ms. Watts an Academy Award nomination, I'll be shocked.The other thing worth noting here is director Alejandro González Iñárritu's deep respect for the intelligence of his audience. He's taken a fairly straightforward sequence of events and arranged them in sharply non-linear fashion. For close to hour, you're sitting there wondering *how* these three seemingly unconnected individuals will come to know each other in such a violent way (because González Iñárritu shows you the penultimate moment of their confrontation at the very start). When the moment comes that you piece it together - and those who follow along can do so a couple of minutes prior to the key event - well, a chill runs up your spine. How many directors can do that? Thank you, Alejandro, for your faith in the intelligence of your fans and for giving us something better than the watered-down mainstream fare that often comes out of Hollywood.
Rating:
Summary: Soul
Review: What does life weigh? Sean Penn, Naomi Watts, and Benicio Del Toro inhabit a strange world of fate and chance in 21 Grams. With its nonlinear plot and hand held camera it is hard to follow at times, but director Alejandro Gonzalez Irarritu and writer Guillermo Arriaga have created a film that allows these actors to take us where few others do. 21 Grams got to me. It made me think, but I'm not exactly sure what to write about it. Maybe I shouldn't. The full magnitude of the performances cannot be summed up with a few short sentences containing positive adjectives and adulations. These need to be seen, and should be.
Rating:
Summary: The Most Creatively Brilliant Film in Years
Review: 21 GRAMS is a film of such importance that attempting to review it is intimidating. Once in a while a film appears that is a Benchmark, a film that is destined to alter the concept of moviemaking as an art form. That this is only the second film from the obviously prodigiously gifted co-writer and Director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu ( the strikingly creative and disturbing 'Amores Perros' being his first) serves the craft well in continuing the promise of film as art. Inarritu enlists the intelligence of his audience and what a partnership that creates! His "style" is called non-linear which merely means that the story of the film is not spoon fed to us in a "this happens, then this resulted, then this altered, then this happened" etc fashion. Inarritu takes advantage of the fact that visual images can hold so much power that the story behind them seems secondary at the moment of viewing only to alert us to THINK as we see bits and pieces of history and result dangling from a mobile, ever in motion. We are led to believe one thing depending on how we relate to the image on the screen, and then we are shown that we misjudged that event as we are given more detail from the past and from the future. While this technique may sound difficult to follow, Inarritu uses it with such facility that learning the true story being told is similar to the way we are running through life: we see fragments, remember tiny moments, watch the media alter variations of reporting reality, hear gossip, view events with prejudiced eyes, form opinions based on our individual experiences with like events in our own lives, or in other words always be faced with the question of what are the drivers of accidents/fate/destiny/need/passion. The story is basically one of how three disparate characters' lives complexly intertwine - people who come to a fatal auto crash with very different life patterns. A mathematics professor with severe heart disease, a reformed drug addict mother who happens to be the wife and mother of the victims, and a Bible thumping ex-con who drives the truck that causes the accident. The events that ensue after the crash (the victim a heart transplant donor for the mathmetician, the devastation the event has on the perpetrator and on the surviving wife) are the storylines we follow. The ending is an intelligent, shocking surprise and one that alters the way you will view events and people after you leave the story behind. Inarritu has employed the gifted artists Sean Penn, Benecio Del Toro, and Naomi Watts and each of them gives the most potent performances of their careers to date. It is impossible to single out the strongest one as each actor owns the full spectrum of each character and each performance seems to exude from their innermost core of their talent. Each is powerful, subtle, sensitive, wholly credible and deeply moving. The other cast members are very strong - especially Clea DuVall and Charlotte Gainsbourg who take their seemingly supportive roles to heights of such importance that it seems the story could not progress without them. The photography is appropriately and conceptually dark and the quality of the picture has a decadent graininess to it that enhances the mood and the perplexing mystery of the story. But in the final analysis it is the magisterial directing talent of Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu that is simply mind-boggling. This is a VERY important film, so very much worth the work required from us the audience, and as with most things in life, the more we invest the more we gain. Well worth 10 Stars!
Rating:
Summary: THE BEST MOVIE OF 2003, HANDS DOWN.
Review: Sean Penn is in his groove this year, what a mean double-punch he delivers with this movie right alongside Clint Eastwood's "Mystic River"! Do you remember "Memento"? It moved backwards and forwards in time and jumped from character to character with dizzying frequency. But, out of what initially seemed to be a randomly baffling approach, an intriguing "a-ha" pattern emerged. 21 Grams is perhaps the only other non-linear screenplay I can think of that will keep you absolutely riveted from start to end. It follows director Inarrito's (of "Amores Perros" acclaim) trademark jigsaw narrative -- a kaleidoscope of cinematic vignettes and moments that first intercut, and then gradually fold back into a powerful tale of tragedy and redemption. It is not easy to provide any kind of plot summary without revealing spoilers, so let's stick to the barebone essentials. The fates of our three main protagonists intertwine at a crucial moment. Paul (Sean Penn) is a math professor with a bad heart. His marriage to Mary (Charlotte Gainsbourg) seems as doomed as he is, but she refuses to leave him in his terminal state. Jack (Benicio Del Toro) is an ex-con who has reformed his life through religious recourse. But there are times, especially in his home life, when glimpses of his past personality shine through. Christine (Naomi Watts) is a happily married woman with a loving husband and two delightful daughters. She is content with her daily routine until events send her life spinning out of control, impelling her back into the drug-induced haze from which her marriage rescued her. I won't be surprised one bit if Oscar comes calling here. This is a movie not to be missed this year! It's creative, engaging, intriguing. I look forward to the DVD because this is one for your collections.
Rating: 
Summary: "21 GRAMS" IS AN EXCELLENT URBAN DRAMA.
Review: The expression 21 grams used in this movie isn't a reference to an illegal substance, is a reference to the myth that every person at the exact moment of his/her death loses exactly 21 grams, no matter if the person is a kid or a grown-up. For that reason the myth says that the human soul weights 21 grams. "21 Grams" is told in a non-linear structure, once in a while, scenes of the latest part of the movie are intercalated with the current scenes. The narrative structure is some kind of hybrid of the style used on "Pulp Fiction" or "Memento", but that doesn't mean that this is an unoriginal narrative style, on the contrary, the narrative style is part of the charm of the movie. Basically the movie tells the story of 3 persons that will join each other's life due a terrible accident. Paul (Sean Penn) is a math professor that is slowly dying due a heart failure. Jack (Benicio Del Toro) is a former criminal that thanks to his recently discovered faith in Jesus has put aside the drugs, the alcohol and his criminal way of life. Christine (Naomi Watts) is a former junkie that apparently has filled the void on her life thanks to her husband and her two daughters. The destiny of the three main characters will intercross after a fatal accident. "21 Grams" is a movie directed by the mexican Alejandro González Iñárritu, the same promising director of "Amores Perros", the movie counts with the photography of the also mexican Rodrigo Prieto, who is now a specialist in capturing on-screen dark, decadent, and above all, realistic urban environments, Prieto did the photography of "Amores Perros", "8 Mile" and "The 25th Hour". "21 Grams" is not a movie for those people that prefer light, frivolous movies ("American Pie" Trilogy, "Johnnie English"), this is a difficult movie, with bitter scenes and situations. The pace is a bit slow, but once that the characters are completely revealed, and we know their passions, motivations and fears, this movie becomes addictive. One of the biggest successes of "21 Grams" is that the film presents realistic, believable situations that happen to complex, human characters. Summary: "21 Grams" is recommendable for spectators that enjoy to be challenged by a dark, complex story that will make them perform a small mental effort. For those who enjoy lighter, short-length films and without the slightest complication, available on theatres are "Looney Tunes: Back In Action", "Brother Bear" or some weekly comedy that surely be released ahead. "21 Grams" is a great movie, with great performances and an intelligent narrative style, thanks to a skilled director and his usual working crew.
Rating:
Summary: PHENOMINAL
Review: If there was ever a film that needed to be championed and heralded it is this film. "21 Grams" is an impressive display of the power of film. It goes back in time to when stories were told of ordinary people in REAL extraordinary circumstances. It is a heartwrenching story wrought with moral and ethical dillemas and great tradedy between 3 characters from 3 different walks of life who are destined to be intertwined. The movie is tense from start to finish and reveals itself with a cinematic approach NEVER before utilized. Every scene is in itself nothing less than enigmatic. Yet the scenes are linked in a sort of emotive linear fashion to express the feeling rather than progress any plot heavy hollywood-esqe story line along. This film does not insult the audience member, it does not lead you by the nose along a path that's easily recognizable being careful not to suprise you. With this emotionally impactful methodology used in linking the scenes it is universally understandable and completely identifiable with characters who's rare cirmstances do not come off as far fetched or contrived like so many other films. The events that effect them are simply raw, even in their subjectivity and display a magnitude that simply can not be ignored even by the most disfuntionally inattentive audience. "21 Grams" wastes no time hiting you with these powerful dillemas usually too touchy to approach by even todays conventional standards. They happen with the "deus ex machina" force that reitterates our powerlessness in the universe. The director does not pander to the audiences expectations and he does not sugar-coat one moement. He simply shows it for what it is and the reality is very grizzly. In the hands of a lesser talent "21 Grams" could very easily fall on it's face and make a mockery out of such life-altering and life-ending events left to be easily critisized and subsequently dismissed. Such films are ear-marked as fodder left to a mundane shelf life on video. "21 Grams" transcends that stereotype with grace and dignity and finds itself a success beyond sucess on all levels. It's a movie well worth seeing in the theatre and it's a movie that hopefully will not be ignored come Academy time. I personally am not in the habbit of championing mediocre art films with some sort of cause or agenda. I know there are many who simply see independant movies like fashion and give them credence by virtue of the fact that they are different whether they work or not. And the other three-quarters of America may, by virtue of it's content, glibly put this on that art film shelf. "21 Grams" does not deserve such a title because it is simply NOT THAT. It stands in a catagory undefined and unique to itself. More poignant than Sodoberg's acclaimed "TRAFFIC" it should be marketed with the same critical ferver than gets mass audiences to sit in the theatre and see. It can be appreciated by anyone who's ever gone through a very hard life experiance and can be respected and learned from by those who are lucky enough to have not. This film is a 10 on the scale, gets an A+ for it's intelligence and abilities. IT is a power-house that makes going to the movies an eye-opening experiance rarely experienced since the onset of the tech-inspired uber-commercialized posturing of our new millenium.
Rating: 
Summary: Would You Read Chapter 7 Before Chapter 6?
Review: The director chose to tell this story in non-linear form. To me, watching the scenes out-of-sequence often felt as frustrating as trying to find a word in a dictionary that wasn't alphabetized correctly. The backwards technique worked in "Memento" because it fit the circumstances of the plot, but in "21 Grams" it seemed like a gimmick and interfered with my enjoyment of the film. Just to make things worse, this movie has an over-written plot that would be complicated even if told in a straightforward way. There are a number of sub-plots, some of which are central to the main story and others which seem disconnected from the movie as a whole. The best example of the latter is the "artificial insemination" plotline which has Sean Penn's mate wanting his baby but being unable to get her tubes untied and healed before he is expected to die from a bad heart. Penn acts like such a jerk to her, I had no idea why she insisted on having his child. Aside from that, the whole, heavily-contrived idea went nowhere and added nothing to the film. By the way, do they really show porn videos in fertility clinics to assist the male donor in delivering the goods? On second thought, don't tell me even if you know. On the plus side, there seems to be no movie that can't be improved by the addition of Naomi Watts. Not only is she a terrific actress, she's intensely sexy no matter how hard they try to make her look tired, doped-up, and washed out. And, wow, does she know how to do passionate kissing scenes. Many of the parts seem miscast. In particular, Sean Penn as a mathematician just doesn't work for me. British actress Charlotte Gainsbourg, as Penn's wife, is a young Jacqueline Bissett who seems to have wandered off the set of Wuthering Heights. The film bears the weaknesses of an "internationalized" director who has a bad ear for American dialog, how it should it be delivered, and the casting choices necessary to make sure it gets spoken by the right actors. I'm sorry to go against the crowd on this one, but I simply think the whole thing was an overwrought, disjointed mess masquerading as artful cinema.
Rating:
Summary: not bad
Review: good film. only criticisms are about the acting. naomi watts wasn't so convincing in some scenes, like in her reaction to the news that her family had been in an accident. i thought she was much better in muholland drive. penn also wasn't too convincing as a math prof. if you've ever known any math profs, you'll know what i mean! the other guy (forget his name, shame on me) was good. he looks perfect for the part. i liked the cinematography: dark and grainy.
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