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21 GRAMS
I can certainly see why Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu chose to tell the story of three characters who meet by chance in a non-chronological fragmentary manner because to do so otherwise would have required a lot more set up and running time. In its current form, while audiences are given a glimpse of what ultimately takes place, the reasons are then explored through a series of flashbacks. What is important to note is that Inarritu uses this narrative style to present why certain character motivations and actions take place rather than how it happens.
However, as it is, much of each storys emotional content is lost, at least on this viewer. Since, for the most part, we already know the fate of each character ahead of time, we become more concerned about putting the pieces together and focusing more on the reasons behind each outcome. Here, the characters demand our attention rather than them grabbing a hold of us and gripping us with their emotional plight.
On both fronts, we become a distant observer rather than engaged as a viewer. In this case, Christopher Nolans Memento, which started the recent wave of non-linear storytelling, is far more effective in getting its audience into a higher plane of involvement.
Sean Penn, Naomi Watts and Benicio Del Toro all give top-notch performances. But in the end, 21 Grams is more of a sensory experience rather than an emotional one.
~Edwin
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