Is it worth it to drive
Across the 'Ville
for this movie?
by: Lynn Beavin
The concept behind Across the Universe is fascinating; however, I came away from the theater trying to decide whether I really loved it or not. And when you have to ask yourself these things, you know you didn't really love the movie. Here's a list of pros and cons about Across the Universe to help all of you out there who can't decide if you're a big enough Beatles fan to drive across town to the east side Showplace (the only theater playing the movie) to go see it:
Pro: One of the first things to impress me about this movie was that all of the actors in it look and act like real people, making the movie more relatable to audiences. The movie often segues into crazy dream sequences, reflecting the psychedelic aspect of the film, and the reality of the way the actors look provides some visual balance between the film's alternating reality and chaos.
Con: The movie's plot is not bad; the movie's writing is not great. Introductions between characters don't always go terribly smoothly. In a couple of instances characters have strange reactions to events that befall them. For example, it was hard to swallow that the leading lass's conservative, uptight parents had no reaction to her decision to forgo her college plans in order to live in a crazy hippie neighborhood in New York with her ne'er-do-well brother and new boyfriend after spending the summer with them. And, it is disappointing that the writers spent so little time or effort exploring the theme of the Vietnam War in the movie from a soldier's point of view. One of the movie's main men goes to war, and we see a couple of shots of him in Vietnam, sweating and looking sad amongst some palm trees, before he returns to America seemingly unchanged by his experience. I found myself thinking that the film served better as a showcase for the Beatles' music than as a stand alone movie.
Pro: However, it is impossible to immediately dismiss this movie. Some of the scenes perfectly melded with the music, enriching the songs in an amazing way. My favorite: a bunch of scrawny American soldiers, so fresh from being drafted they're still wearing their boxers from their physical exams, staggering and carrying the Statue of Liberty into Vietnam on their bare backs while the words "she's so heavy, heavy, heavy" are sung in the background. And for those who only ever considered a "Beatle" to be an icky bug with "horny forewings"-thank you, dictionary.com-you can still enjoy this movie. The plot's message, while lightweight, is nice: "All you need is love."
If you're still interested in Across the Universe, I have just one last piece of advice: Go to the movies expecting a musical, not a serious drama. All in all, Across the Universe was pretty good-a decent plot with a few really nice moments shining through. In the company of some well-buttered popcorn, it's an enjoyable way to spend a couple of hours.