Review of 21 Grams (2003) by Shadow O — 24 Apr 2011

It appears I have watched Alejandro González Iñárritu's directorial pieces in reverse chronological order, but when ranking them, my favourite remains 2006's "Babel," followed closely by this in 2003, and then 2010's "Biutiful.

" As with the other two films, "21 Grams" has a gripping non-linear plot involving three principal stories. The cuts between each story and each timeline were rapid and less subtle than in Iñárritu's recent movies, making the opening more confusing and harder to follow, but as the they piece together, you come to appreciate these short segments since they are like memory fragments being recounted.

There is less emphasis on the cinematography since this is very much character-driven and centered on the main characters. Iñárritu has the uncanny ability to bring out the best performances from his acting counterparts; Sean Penn, Benicio Del Toro and Naomi Watts are so convincing in their individual roles.

Watts, especially, can melt your icy heart to a puddle of tears with the heartbreak of a grieving mother. Iñárritu crafts masterpieces, be it emotionally or visually, and I'm now dying to see 2000's "Amores perros" and future works by him.