Across the Universe

I have so much to say about this film that I feel as thought I should start with simplicity before I got lost in my thoughts.

Across the Universe = a brilliant mess.

I've read several of the reviews and they are all over the place, but one thing they seem to have in commom, both the good and bad, is that this is a message film or an anti war film. This is interesting to me because I see it completely differently.

This is a film about several confused, scared and isolated characters looking to discover themselves by running away to the centre of the universe (New York City). Each character is going through a different personal struggle and a struggle for identity and they think that the answers are as far away from home as possible. New York has always been the backdrop for the pursuit of dreams and happiness but the reality is wh often actually see NY depicted as the place where dreams don't come true but where people make important discoveries about themselves, which perhaps is the dream on a subconcious level - or at least the reality.

It isn't until these characters are thrust from their complacent and comfortable existence (at least waht THEY perceive and comfortable and WE perceive as complacent) that they actually make any real discoveries about themselves, their friends and their reality.

Clearly this movie was a bold, adventurous concept that had a group of people who were all on the same page working their asses off to make it work. The problem is the concept was too big, it was more than they could handle and I think a little overly egotistical. The filmmakers, to me, seemed to think that anything they came up with regardless of how well it connected to its audience or the film itself would work. It also came across as though they could never settle on a tone or idea so decided that they would attempt them all. Some songs were brililantly staged and choreographed and some looked as though the actors we given zero direction and told to go at it.

This was a film of brilliant moments, disasterous moments, but ultimately suffered the same fate as the jukebox musical, it was great music strung together in inconceivable ways that made little sense simply to ensure their inclusion in the film. I think what may have been more effective would be to have had the Beatles music as a backdrop for the film, and have it establish tone rather than be so much at the forefront.

Julie Taymor's famous/infamous design concepts were in play here, but came at awkward times and distracted from the film. "I Want You" was a number is which her strengths shone bright, but moments like "I Am the Walrus" and the number right after failed miserably. I think that with such bold design choices you need to stick with it and keep it consistent throughout the picture or leave it out completely. It's hard for a "non-artsy" audience to accept the surreal and fantastical when it only pops up occasionally and out of context.

The music was awful. NOT THE BEATLES, but when you take classic music and make new arrangements for cinematic/dramatic purposes they better better than the original, I don't mean to say that you could improve upon the classics, but you could make them fuller and more dynamic like Cirque did with Love.

I think everyone should see this film. I thought I would pick a side, but I am left divided. I think what I admire is the concept itself and the impression that this was a work of passion and risk - but the lack of execution and cohesiveness really burned me in this.

This WILL demand a second viewing. And I would be VERY curious to see the alternate cut.

2.5 out of 5.