Arts & Entertainment

'21 Grams' rips apart dark human emotions

By Geronimo Rodriguez
The Daily Cougar

When moviegoers walk out of 21 Grams, they'll call their moms, dads and every other loved one just to hear their voices. This sounds sentimental, but even a horror movie reeks with passion compared to Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's latest endeavor.

In perhaps the finest film to hit the screen since his Amores Perros(2000), Inarritu takes people's emotions and rips them apart with the darkest moments of three characters' lives. Guillermo Arriaga, who wrote the story, went as far as to say the characters are thrown in the "deepest abyss" of hell and "they have to find hope."

"It's a film of hope," he said.

Hope?
 

Enter the gist. The characters are better off dead, but the story keeps their hearts beating for the film's sake. But it's ultimately a beautiful depiction of people scratching their hearts out to withstand the loss of loved ones and no hope of living an anguish-free life.

It doesn't hurt that the Mexican duo has help from three of today's finest actors: Sean Penn, Benicio Del Toro and Naomi Watts. Penn, who's coming off one of the year's most compelling acting efforts with Clint Eastwood's slick Mystic River, might be expected to lead this crew, but Watts shocks the screen as an emotionally ruined woman and Del Toro just keeps burning.

Arriaga's story follows Paul (Penn) after receiving a heart transplant he seemed reluctant to take in the first place. Paul hooks up with Cristina (Watts) after her life is slapped from her hands in a matter of seconds. What would such a sad story be without a religious man to help reflect on the ultimate source of strength? So, Jack (Del Toro) finishes the puzzle made up of characters with more than a couple of jagged edges.

There isn't one character who shines above the rest, as Inarritu's choppy style slices in and out of their lives like an unbound diary, but Watts' effort seems the most challenging, especially considering she's opposite Penn, who is easily one of the best actors in film.

All the efforts amplify Arriaga's fine examination of humanity. He said the feedback he's received from friends has reinforced his success.

"They immediately go to their cell phones to call their friends -- that's what I want," Arriaga said.

He got it.

21 Gram

Rated: R

Starring: Sean Penn, Naomi Watts

Focus Features

The verdict: Best cinematic experience of the year.

 Send comments to dcshobiz@mail.uh.edu