Kelsey's Review

Summary - Really Great 4.5

Across the Universe is a dramatic musical, built with the work of The Beatles. The songs are used through different characters and even different situations. The time period is similar as the film takes place during the Vietnam war. It would have been easier to make this a film about The Beatles. The songs came from their lives anyway so it would just be a matter of recreating those situations. Across the Universe gives the thoughts and feelings of the music to completely different characters in different situations. It shows us that one song can mean so many different things to other people.
Jude (Sturgess) is a dock worker/artist from England who travels to America, leaving his girlfriend behind, in hopes of finding his father. Along his way he meets Max, who has been enjoying his time at college. The two of them become friends and on their way to New York, Max’s sister, Lucy (Wood) joins them for the summer before she goes off to college in the fall. Lucy is going through a lot as her boyfriend, Daniel, is sent home from the war early. The problem with this is that he is sent home in a body bag. His is the first funeral Lucy has ever gone to. He was the first person she knew dead and he happened to be her first love. Despite this, a new love begins to sprout between her and Jude.
Soon Max gets his draft notice as well. His only hope is that maybe he will find a way out of it. Lucy hates to see someone else she loves dead because of Vietnam. She becomes extremely involved in the protest against the war. Lucy really doesn’t understand how anybody couldn’t be. This is where fighting with her and Jude begin. He is having trouble with his art, partially from missing Lucy as she always seems to be gone, too busy for him. To her art doesn’t seem as important as the revolution that is arising. When he does protest with her, they both are detained by the police. This leads to the government finding out that Jude is not a citizen and therefore is sent back to England.

Acting - Perfect 5.0

Evan Rachel Wood not only gives an outstanding performance as an actor but as a singer. She has a beautiful voice and I am glad she was able to put both talents to use in this wonderful film. Jim Sturgess as Jude was incredible as well. Wood and Sturgess had great chemistry together. Watching them together was captivating. Sturgess held a strong persona, someone who had an inner struggle that was shown through his art of song and painting. Joe Anderson helped balance out the more serious characters of Jude and Lucy. He was the goofy one yet not overdone at all. When he was faced with serious times he tried to find his way out, but he had to face his future whether he liked it or not.

Film - Really Great 4.5

One of the things Across the Universe does best is the visual aspects of the film. It is a ballsy film, never playing it safe. This is very refreshing as Hollywood is usually just recycled and reused scripts. Across the Universe is wonderfully and wildly creative like nothing I have ever seen before. It embraces this through scenes that put you in a trance of the unknown, a place where the imagination is always alive and at work. The colors are vivid, spectacular, and continuous. There are all different types of transitions, where anything seems appropriate no matter how out there it might be. The colors show the spirits of the kids; freedom and fun. However, they do more than that. They show us the lines between two worlds. While this world is so beautiful and bright, the world of Vietnam is dark, dreary, and musky. It is a sad and solemn state where only tragedy can occur. As much as this part of the universe is a part of them and the characters recognize it, ideally they would love for this not to be a part of their world. Knowing and seeing someone who died in Vietnam is like a wake up call to Lucy. Death becomes real, it hits close to home, and the idea of this spreading to others is unthinkable to her. Yet this reality of violence and death become a direct part of her world.

Edge - Sordid 3.0

The violence is present through the war as Lucy’s first boyfriend is killed in Vietnam. The dangers and grimness are shown here. Back at home this feel comes out as well through the fight against these evils. The rebellion against the war brings out more violence by the government as well as those who are fighting it.

Reality - Natural 1.0

The time period of the sixties was represented in the film. The protest where they get arrested actually happened at Columbia University at this time. The bombs that were being created in the film were created by radicals that ended up being killed by an explosion in New York. The music, even aside from The Beatles is represented as well. Two of the characters in particular follow this. Two of the teens’ roommates, Sadie (Fucs) and JoJo (Luther) were modeled after artists of the time. Sadie was representing Janis Joplin, a role that was specifically created for Dana Fuchs. The character of JoJo was meant to represent Jimi Hendrix. All of the character’s names come from various Beatles songs including these two.

2 Comments

• Wick Mar 15, 2013 6:32PM

  Regarding Wick’s Review
  I agree. Delightful. As far as breaking it down, I felt it was important to focus on the songs. Unlike with Shakespeare, here’s the songs are the thing. ;-)

• BrettHarrison Mar 15, 2013 5:34PM

  Regarding Wick’s Review
  I thought it was amazing. And I like the way you broke it down. Visually just stunning but with a point.

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