Review of 21 Grams (2003) by Wrik S — 16 Jul 2010

This is not the feel good movie of the year, by any stretch of the imagination. The film deals with death, and how the survivors deal with emotional impact of losing or causing the loss of life. The trio of actors contains two Oscar award winners, Sean Penn and Benicio Del Toro, and Naomi Watts. Of the three, it is Naomi Watts that is the true powerhouse in this film. This in no way discredits both Del Toro's and Penn's performance, it is just that I was blown away by Watts. All of the main characters are drawn together by a single incident that has a devastating impact on all of their worlds, and how they view their lives. The film is not sequential, which is a little confusing at the beginning, but fairly recognizable by about 15 minutes in. Once you get a feel for the story, it is not hard to follow or see where this is going. Still, this is not a problem, as this is not about twists and surprises, but instead about real human emotions, which the actors do a masterful job of projecting.

Good film, but don't be looking for the happy ending.