21 Grams

How much does life weigh?
How much does life weigh?
21 GRAMS (18)
D: Alejandro Gonzalez Iñarritu 
Icon (Alejandro Gonzalez Iñarritu & Robert Salerno)
US 2003
124 mins

Drama/Thriller

W: Guillermo Arriaga
DP: Rodrigo Prieto
Ed: Stephen Mirrione 
Mus: Gustavo Santaolalla


Sean Penn (Paul Rivers), Naomi Watts (Cristina Peck), Benicio Del Toro (Jack Jordan), Charlotte Gainsbourg (Mary Rivers), Melissa Leo (Marianne Jordan), Clea Duvall (Claudia), Danny Huston (Michael)

The lives of three people are affected following a hit-and-run traffic accident.

The fragmented narrative might not be to everyone's taste, with the jigsaw of scenes shown in a random order (the director mentions in DVD commentary that they are shown in the order of emotional power), but after you get through the first 20 minutes you get a grasp on what's happening you get to enjoy a dramatic, well-acted thriller.  Naomi Watts, Sean Penn & Benicio del Toro all deliver tour de force performances and Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu proved that, as a director, he could mix it up amongst the Hollywood heavyweights.

A clever and emotional piece of work.

8/10

Sean Penn & Naomi Watts in 21 Grams
Sean Penn & Naomi Watts in 21 Grams