Across teh Universe

Across the Universe (2007)

Guild 45^th Theater, Seattle, WA

October 01, 2007

*** 1/2 / ****

Across the Universe is a mish mash of frenetic energy that ebbs and flow, shakes and shimmies, and takes the music of the Beatles on an almost other worldly journey. It is a roller coaster ride of entertaining montages, emotional vignettes, and a few ambitious though under-whelming set pieces that culminates in a film that at times feels like the best movie of the year and at others, a hokey misstep. The truth, as is often the case, lies somewhere in between.

Robust in its plot though lacking in character development, the film introduces its large cast of main players in a delicate and enjoyable manner. The film uses a working-class English immigrant (Jim Sturgess) as its protagonist, surrounds him with all manner of 1960s personality clichés (a Jimi Hendrix, a Janice Joplin, war protestors, a Princeton dropout, and the smart, pretty young blonde girl who gets swept up in the anti-war movement) rushes them through love, loss, and tumultuous times, eventually succeeding in making a well-documented and overdone time period feel fresh, unique, and current. No easy task, indeed.

This is a film that boldly takes numerous chances. It is a musical that uses the songs of the Beatles, puts those words into the mouths of its characters, and completely changes the pre-conceived notions we may have had about the meaning of these world famous tunes. It doesn’t take a stance on politics but never shies away from embracing the political turmoil of the era. It is surreal yet grounded in our own world, fast-paced yet cerebral, and honest and sincere even as that approach to a film of this nature is so dangerous. On the most basic level this is a well-made film that entertains from the first frame to the last.

But then there’s the other side of the coin: the character names are literally ripped directly from the songs they sing as is much of the film’s action, the melodrama and camp are as heavy as the oversized Statue of Liberty a score of tighty-whitey clad draftees surreally carry through a miniature Vietnam, and the main plot so mundane and situations, at times so silly and overdone it’s no wonder critics have divided their opinions in a love it or hate it manner.

While obviously comparable to Moulin Rouge for its flash, reinterpretation of famous popular music, and frantic energy, Across the Universe isn’t nearly as good or entertaining as that excellent film. While the talent is definitely here with nearly every actor giving a sensational performance (and these guys and gals can really sing!), I got the feeling behind the scenes director Julie Taymor and her writers were more interested in fitting the story to the songs than vice versa. Unlike Moulin Rouge, which seemed to do exactly the opposite, this had the effect of making some of the tunes trite and some of the hoopla that surrounded them border on the ridiculous.

In the end though I bought the whole shebang as a flawed film that delivers on the Beatles’ promise of a magical mystery tour. For every Bono crooning away as Doctor Hook, an egocentric hippie ringleader with a bad California accent, there are a handful of clever musical arrangements, astounding song and dance numbers (Happiness is a Warm Gun, Let It Be, and Strawberry Fields Forever were my favorites), and emotionally vigorous reinterpretations of what some of the most famous songs of all-time can mean to many different people. Add to that Taymor’s ability to counteract the camp aspect with some very emotional and personal situations between the characters and there’s no doubt the good in Across the Universe definitely outweighs the bad. In the end the whole concoction culminates as a wonderfully entertaining and original cinematic experience whose sum can’t quite reach the height of its best parts but is surely well above its lowest lows.

Additional Note: Keep your eye on actor Joe Anderson who plays Princeton drop out, Max. This kid can really act and will be a big star in the future.