By Erin Horan
Strawberries. War. Lesbians. Bono. Frat boys. Love. The Beatles! “Across the Universe” is so much at once. It is a beautiful movie- one of those rare films you can just sink into, letting go of all of the rules and expectations in your head. Just sit back, smile, and be entertained.
There is a pretty coherent and well-established storyline between all of the song sequences- in my opinion, a little too well-established for a movie that is clearly more about its visual artistry than its relatively unoriginal backstory. However, I did LOVE how the songs were seamlessly and appropriately woven into the plot. They were part of the telling of the story. (My favorite sequences were “Strawberry Fields Forever” and “With a Little Help From my Friends.”)
The casting is perfect: I immediately fell in love with Jim Sturgess, who plays a shaggy haired Brit with deep, dark brown eyes that speak for themselves....Evan Rachel Wood compliments him well as his love interest, a blonde All-American girl who becomes an anti-war crusader. Joe Anderson rounds out the principle three as the carefree and confused college dropout- at a time when those two words mean one thing: it’s off to Vietnam for you.
The actors sing all of the songs in the movie; and yes, Bono has a cameo in which he sings “I am the Walrus!”
Director Julie Taymor is at her best in “Across the Universe.” The choreography, movement, scenery, color, sound, and overall flow of each scene is brilliant. I burst out laughing more than once, as humorous surprises are plentiful. Football players tackle, flip over each other, and…cartwheel(?) in slow motion as a cheerleader walks straight through the commotion, singing softly. On a crowded New York City street, everyone wears suits and marches in formations, except for one newcomer from Chicago- the song is “Come Together.” I could go on, but I have already given too much away!
The movie is not without its serious moments- after all, issues such as war and the civil rights movement are highlighted. I was most moved by the “Let it Be” sequence, which takes place in the midst of the Chicago race riots. The “Strawberry Fields” sequence would have been more resonant if the Vietnam scenes had been more developed. The shots in New York City were real enough; the Vietnam scenes should have been shot outside, too. Realism would have provided an even greater contrast between the bloody violence of the war and the obviously fake dripping, squirting strawberries.
The movie is too long- but at the end I immediately overlooked this flaw because on the whole, the experience was fantastic! This movie is sure to become a cult classic. Across the Universe...is gonna change your world...
