A
film review by James Berardinelli for ReelViews.net
One
could never argue that Across the
Universe isn't ambitious. However, like many ambitious movies, this one
fails spectacularly. Glenn Kenny of Premiere
magazine called it the perfect disaster
and, while I think that's a little harsh, I understand where he's coming from.
Elements of Across the Universe are
shockingly awful and the film lasts at least 30 minutes past the bearable
stage. But if you like the Beatles, and the idea of hearing about 20 covers of
their work fills you with a perverse joy, this may be the movie for you.
The
film has had a troubled production history. It was reportedly taken away from
director Julie Taymor after advance
preview screenings resulted in jeers and catcalls. The producers re-cut the
movie and it was received with more warmth, but Taymor went public with her
gripe and this stirred up controversy. Apparently, the 133-minute theatrical
cut is Taymor's version. If it's not, I shudder to think how much worse a
longer edition could be.
The
lack of anything resembling a compelling narrative is part of the problem. It's
the 1960s and Liverpool native Jude (Jim
Sturgess) has traveled across the Atlantic in search of the dad he never
knew. He is befriended by Princeton drop-out Max (Joe Anderson) and falls in love with his sister, Lucy (Evan Rachel Wood). Soon, these three
are doing road trips, fighting against the War in Vietnam (or, in Max's case,
fighting in Vietnam), and experiencing everything the era has to offer. They
are joined on their odyssey by an Asian lesbian cheerleader (T.V. Carpio), a Janis Joplin clone (Dana Fuchs), and a Jimi Hendrix wannabe
(Martin Luther).
Taymor
has always been best known for the imaginative visual aspects of her films and
stage productions (see Titus for her
best screen work), and there's no shortage of tricks in her bag this time:
animation, puppets, underwater sequences, psychedelic imagery, and more.
Somehow, however, it all seems gratuitous - a way to distract the viewer from
how pointless the story is. Like the shot of Wood's left breast (more nipple
than one normally sees in a PG-13 production), it's all a bit of a tease. And
none of these elements shows much in the way of technical achievement - they're
the kinds of things any reasonably adept graphic designer can accomplish on a
properly equipped home PC.
The
songs are a bigger distraction than the visuals. With only a few exceptions,
most of them are out-of-place. They are shoehorned in simply to increase the
film's Beatles music content. The expected approach in a musical is for the
songs to advance the story. In Across the
Universe, the narrative pauses roughly every seven minutes so the
characters can break into song, then resumes when they're done. This approach
makes it impossible to identify with the characters or be interested in their
circumstances. And, while the singing is of variable quality, most of the dance
numbers are amateurish.
Jim
Sturgess and Joe Anderson were obviously chosen more for their singing ability
than their talent as actors. To their credit, they make a credible Lennon/McCartney
pair. Evan Rachel Wood has a surprisingly strong set of pipes. The vocal styling
of the supporting performers is variable, and includes a torturous version of I Wanna Hold Your Hand by T.V. Carpio
which may destroy your ability to ever again hear that song cleanly. Eddie Izzard, Joe Cocker, and Bono
have cameos. Oddly, Cocker does not contribute With a Little Help From My Friends, even though his recorded cover
is arguably more recognizable than the original (thanks in large part to the TV
series The Wonder Years).
I
have heard Across the Universe being
referred to as this generation's Sergeant
Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, and I can't refute the argument. There
are also times when the film evokes memories of Xanadu. Neither of those stinkers is the kind of company any
self-respecting musical wants to keep. It's hard to argue that the idea behind Across the Universe is a bad one - after
all, Baz Luhrmann did something similar with Moulin Rouge and the Beatles music is incredibly versatile. The
problem, therefore, must be in the execution, and it's a big problem. With a
shorter running length, it might have been possible to appreciate Across the Universe as an entertaining
failed spectacle. But, at 2:15, the word entertaining
no longer applies in any context. [Berardinelli’s rating: ** out of 4]
Labels:
drama, fantasy, musical, romance, Sixties
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