by kellie abrahamson kabrahamson1@aol.com
A- Rated PG13 131 min.
There are times when I walk out of a movie theater wondering why a studio felt it necessary to waste their time and mine on such dreck. Then there are other times when I want to turn right back around and watch the movie I’ve just seen again. Unfortunately, the former happens a lot more often than the latter. Across the Universe, a musical set to the songs of The Beatles, is one of those pleasant surprises that had me wishing for another screening. Or twelve.
It’s the 1960s and Jude (Jim Sturgess), a young dock worker from Liverpool, packs his bags and heads to America to find the father he never knew. Expecting to find a well-to-do college professor, Jude’s disappointed to discover that his old man (Robert Clohessy) is a blue-collar working stiff who spends his time scrubbing the molding at the university instead of molding young minds. While pondering his next move, Jude meets Max (Joe Anderson), a hard-partying frat boy who takes the Brit under his wing and shows him life in the USA. Meanwhile, Max’s sister Lucy (Evan Rachel Wood) spends her senior year of high school pining away for her sweetheart (Spencer Liff), who has just shipped out to Vietnam.
A Thanksgiving visit to Max’s family home brings Jude and Lucy together and after a big move, a tragedy and an unknown amount of time, the two end up in love and living in a small New York apartment with Max, a sultry singer named Sadie (Dana Fuchs), Jo-Jo (Martin Luther McCoy) the guitarist, and Prudence (T.V. Carpio), a closeted lesbian who longs to reveal her secret desires. The group spends their time creating art, making music, indulging in drugs and otherwise living a carefree lifestyle until Uncle Sam pulls Max’s name for the draft. With their friend overseas fighting a war none of them believe in, the rest of the gang throw themselves into the anti-war movement. Long hours and conflicting ideals put a strain on Jude and Lucy’s romance and the two begin to question if love is indeed all you need.
What makes Across the Universe unique is that the story was written around the soundtrack, with Beatles hits providing the framework for the plot. As with most musicals, the actors played double and at times triple duty, delivering lines, learning sometimes complicated choreography and singing all of the songs, the majority of which were recorded live on-set, not in a studio. With Julie Taymor (famous for her Tony-winning stage adaptation of Broadway’s The Lion King) behind the lens, an exceptionally talented cast and a concept that intrigues from the word “go,” Across the Universe has been a hotly anticipated release among cinephiles and Beatles fans alike. Thankfully, the film delivers in a big way.
One thing I noticed right away about Across the Universe is once you see it you find that you have to talk about it with your fellow moviegoers. The musical numbers are just so visually stunning that you can’t help but discuss them as soon as you walk out of the theater. During certain sequences I literally had chills. I won’t get into what the scene depicts, but during ‘Let It Be’ I thought I was going to lose it. The combination of that song with the images Taymor shows is heart wrenching and unforgettable. Another scene that sticks with you long after the film is over is Max’s Army physical, set to ‘I Want You (She’s So Heavy).’ Animation and live action were used during this sequence, showing the military putting Max and his fellow draftees through a battery of tests, most of which were conducted by creepy G.I. Joe-looking soldiers with identical faces. The scene reminded me a lot of Pink Floyd’s movie-musical The Wall in both look and feel. Things take a decidedly trippy turn when the leads visit Dr. Robert (Bono), who is the walrus, and Mr. Kite (Eddie Izzard), who is the ringmaster in a crazy circus in the middle of a field. Both of these numbers are wild and strange, giving the audience a taste of exactly what the characters are smoking (and dropping). While not completely necessary to the story, they depict the era well, which is one of the film’s strongest points. Throughout, Across the Universe manages to touch on the decades most memorable and notorious events, showing younger audience members the ups and downs of the era and giving older ones a walk down memory lane.
The casting was just impeccable. Each and every actor did a phenomenal job on both the acting and singing fronts. For a lot of people, the thought of an entire movie set to the songs of The Beatles but without John, Paul, George and Ringo sounds like a terrible idea. I’m happy to report that no songs were mangled during the making of this film. In fact, you’re actually able to see some of your favorite Beatles tunes in a whole new light when seen in the context of the story. Going back to ‘I Want You (She’s So Heavy),’ the song is both sung ominously during Max’s draft experience, and seductively by Sadie later in the scene, giving the same words very different meaning. This is done several times throughout the film and will no doubt be one of the things Fab Four fans will enjoy.
There’s a lot to love with Across the Universe. The songs are time-tested, the actors are top-notch and the story is one that will enchant and intrigue. While certain elements could have been shortened (Prudence, for example, is a character that could have had a lesser role) or eliminated altogether (the super-psychedelic-fun-show that was Dr. Roberts and Mr. Kite), the film did a terrific job of capturing the imagination as well as the era. Across the Universe is a wonderful musical that no doubt gets better after repeated showings.
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EU Critic’s Choice Awards
