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21 Grams Director: Alejandro González Iñárritu Rated: MA 15+ Palace Nova And Selected Cinemas 
In 2000, director Alejandro González Iñárritu and screenwriter Guillermo Arriaga collaborated on the Mexican film, ‘Amores Perros’, a debut for both men, which contained a fascinating portrayal of three characters linked only by a car crash. Not only were these characters linked by an event, but were also linked by the similar themes of love, loss, and betrayal.Surprisingly, for their second feature and English language debut, they have returned to the plot device of three characters linked by a car accident. However, unlike ‘Amores Perros’, where the characters have only the briefest interaction with one another, ’21 Grams’ does so with three characters whose lives are inextricably linked. They are Paul Rivers (Sean Penn), a college lecturer with a terminal illness, Cristina Peck (Naomi Watts), a mother of two who has overcome a drug addiction, and Jack Jordan (Benicio Del Toro), a reformed criminal with a family and reaffirmed faith in Jesus. Rivers is faced with a severely debilitating illness for which his only chance of survival is a heart transplant, a hope that he and his wife Mary (Charlotte Gainsbourg) realise is unlikely. As a result, Mary is seriously considering the possibility of artificial insemination, in preparation for the worst. While they contemplate these challenges, Cristina is coping well after overcoming her addictions due to her husband Michael, her two daughters, and her strong bond with younger sister Claudia (Clea DuVall). Jordan however, is following his faith in Jesus as a means to remove himself from his troubled past, and also attempt to help those from his community who seem to be following a similarly troubling path. As these three soon involve themselves in each others lives, Iñárritu follows a non-linear narrative structure for the course of the entire film, which may cause some difficulty for those averse to actual thought during a film, but for most will provide a fascinating departure from normal technique. Due to the thought put in by Iñárritu and Arriaga, this technique is clearly well suited to ’21 Grams’, and assisted by the fantastic performances of the three leads, who make the film their own. While it may not be the film of the year, it is an impressive progression for Iñárritu and should prove to be one of the higher moments for this year.  |
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