21 Grams (2003)
Directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu
Written by Guillermo Arriaga

A disjointed structure turns what would otherwise be an above-average Lifetime movie into a pretty captivating piece of cinema. The plot is actually rather simple, but since it's presented out of sequence, you have to sit with it to see how the pieces fit together.

21 Grams employs this fractured structure to illuminate the fragmentation of its characters' lives. Sean Penn, Naomi Watts, and Benicio Del Toro (aka Benicio Of The Bull) are three unrelated people of varying miserableness who are brought together when Benicio runs over Naomi's husband and daughters, and Sean receives the husband's heart in a transplant.

The gimmicky organization masks some of the story's clichés, and some of the thematic points are rendered too blatantly (especially the unsubtle opinioneering regarding the supposed hypocrisy of Christians, who are all, apparently, judgmental squares who will sneak a beer and a cigarette at any opportunity). But it's really the performances that make this something more than your usual indie-film presentation of desperate characters driven to more desperation.

Watts is as phenomenal as her generous—I mean gratuitous—nude scenes, and Benicio is unnervingly troubled. Both are almost impossibly sexy, although to be honest, you get the feeling that Benicio is probably also quite stinky. I hope that he showers more often in real life than he seems to while appearing in a movie.

Many people praise Sean Penn as being the finest actor of his generation, but with the exception of Jeff Spicoli, his characterizations always strike me as too overtly "actor-y," like his craft is more visible than his character. 21 Grams is no exception. Maybe I'm just jealous because he gets to roll around nude with Naomi Watts, while I can only roll around nude with the rented 21 Grams DVD case.

Review by La Fée