Cast: Sean Penn, Benicio Del Toro, Naomi Watts, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Danny Huston, Clea DuVall, Marc Musso Director: Alejandro González Iñárritu Genre: Drama MPAA: rated R for profanity, sexuality, violence and drug use
Nudity: R equivalent; 2 scenes female upper. PG-13 equivalent; 2 scenes partially exposing female upper, 3 scenes partially displaying male nudity Profanity: R equivalent; 25 “F” words, approx. 60 profanities Sex: R equivalent; 2 sex sequences. PG-13 equivalent; pornographic film playing Violence: R equivalent; bloodshed, car accident, Other: R equivalent; drug abuse, mature themes regarding death
"They say we all loose 21 grams at the exact moment of our death…everyone. The weight of a stack of nickels. The weight of a chocolate bar. The weight of a hummingbird…"
Tragedy. Grief. Guilt. Revenge. Redemption. The lives of three strangers and how one terrible tragedy affected all of their lives.
"21 Grams" is without doubt one of the finest films of the year. Emotionally this is a very difficult film to watch, as it hauntingly displays the aftermaths of a tragedy from each victim's perspective. The performances captured here are among the finest of the year, all Oscar worthy, especially Watts who commands our attention and sympathy. This is a unique film that haunts our minds and grips our emotions.
"21 Grams", a gritty and harsh psychological Drama, immediately sets it's bleak atmosphere during the first moments and never steers away. Even after it's final frame, even until the remainder of the day, this film was in the back of my thoughts.
Viewers will either be distracted or intrigued by the films pacing, which avoids telling it's stories in chronological order. Instead, the filmmakers decide to give pieces of the story throughout, bringing everything together in the conclusion. "21 Grams" is the emotional and dramatic version of "Memento".
Academy Award winner Sean Penn ("Mystic River") had two amazing performances this year: "21 Grams" and in "Mystic River". The actor once again showcases his rare ability to quietly bring his emotions to the big screen, and while his character might never be the most moral person, we still ache for him. Penn's films include "Dead Man Walking", "Sweet and Lowdown", "I am Sam", and "The Game".
Naomi Watts turned heads with her performance in "Mulholland Dr." and was terrified along with audiences in "The Ring". But now, the young actress has moved all the way to the A-list, becoming labeled as a true performer, worthy of the some of the finest leading roles offered. This is has just happened, after critics and audiences alike saw her performance in "21 Grams". Watts is sensational; her character is swollen with grief and for every second she's on screen we sense her character sees no purpose in going on. Watt's was nominated for an Academy Award in the Best Actress category.
Academy Award winner Benicio Del Toro ("Traffic") has been watched by critics for some time, but it wasn't until his performance in "Traffic" that audiences would start seeing this actor move into stardom. The actor reconfirms he is here to stay in his heart wrenching performance. His films include "The Usual Suspects", "Swimming with Sharks", "Fearless", "Joyride", "Snatch.", and "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas".
"21 Grams" was nominated for two Academy Awards: Best Supporting Actor - Benicio Del Toro and Best Actress - Naomi Watts. The Supporting Actor Award went to Tim Robbins and Best Actress went to Charlize Theron. Even so, no one will deny these two performers were definitely Oscar worthy, both giving memorable performances. "21 Grams" is an emotionally exhausting experience, and it's shocking it wasn't a contender for the Best Picture Oscar. "21 Grams" concludes as one of my favorites films of the year.
