Review: Across The Universe (Grade: B)

Visually stunning, gorgeous imagery, brilliant reimagining of classic Beatles songs but ultimately a huge mess. These were just some of the thoughts that came to my mind as I was exiting the theater after watching the brilliantly shot film "Across the Universe."

This is definitely a film that needs to be seen in the theater or at least on a 60" HD television. The problem is that when the music stops and the actors speak the film falls apart. I can only imagine what the film looked like before all the drama that unfolded after the shooting was completed. This film has been plagued by more drama than "Entourage."

Let me give you the short version. Principal photography wrapped in early 2005 and when director Julie Taymor handed it in to the studio they hated it. Joe Roth, studio head of Revolution Studios tried to convince her that it needed to be recut after a few disastrous screenings but Taymor refused and all hell broke loose. She then launched a campaign to have her name removed from the film and threatened to sue. Roth went ahead and recut the film anyway and after some negotiations Taymor caved. So what's been released is the studio cut of the film and I can't wait to see Taymor's version as it couldn't be a bigger mess than it already is, or could it?

The film itself is just a series of music videos strung together with some of the weakest acting and incoherent storylines I've seen in a long time. But let's focus on the positive, shall we? As a life long Beatles fan, I like most cringed when I saw the trailer for the film because I thought they would absolutely butcher the Fab Four's classic songs. But let me tell you they did a magnificent job not only in the new arrangements but in bringing the lyrics to life (even some of the wildest tunes like "I am the Walrus" or "Come Together.")

The story is set around a young college boy from Liverpool named Jude (get it) as he comes to America to find his real father. Along the way he meets a privileged frat boy and his beautiful younger sister named Lucy (are you getting it yet?) played by Evan Rachel Wood. All set against the turbulent late 60's. Wood is the only one that actually acts decently in the film but I was struck by how young she looked. Remembering that the film wrapped in 2005 I realized she was still a young girl then, right on the cusp of womanhood. In only short two years since then she has matured into a very sexy young woman. One of the problems is Jim Sturgess who played Jude has absolutely zero charisma. He looked too much like that guy from the band Oasis and it was distracting.

One of the most imaginative and gorgeous sequences is the underwater singing when Lucy and Jude are falling in love set to the haunting "Because." That sequence is perhaps one of the most incredibly beautiful things I have ever seen on film. This film is so perfectly shot look for the Cinematographer, Bruno Delbonnel to get an Oscar nom. Another great sequence was when the frat boy got drafted to the song "She's So Heavy" and later reprised with him in the hospital being cared for by a sexy Salma Hayek in a nurse's outfit. Talk about a fantasy come true!

The cameos sung by Bono (I Am The Walrus), Eddie Izzard (Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite) and Joe Cocker (Come Together) are all noteworthy because of the high production value and by how much fun they all were seem to be having. In fact, after stunning numbers throughout the film the ending was a let down when they had Sturgess sing "Hey Jude" on a rooftop that was supposed to emulate the famous Beatles concert. In what was supposed to be the climactic moment of the film instead turned into a ho hum moment that had me longing for that long chorus at the end of the actual song.

But not all of the sequences worked. They actually had the audacity to compare Jude and Lucy's love affair to the superimposed images of actual footage of the Vietnam war. Wow, that was pretentious and extremely offensive. Nothing like showing them arguing with images of horrific war footage playing in the background.

I would enjoy seeing the musical numbers released on their own without the mundane and trite so-called love story. Now that would be cool.

In spite of all the failings of this film, this is a must see in the theaters. So get out and see it while you still can!

Musings Grade: B

-- Janaki Cedanna