It’s impossible not to fall in love with this movie.

Honestly, no matter how much I love my dear darling screwed up Keith, there’s no way a movie like this could be done with a Rolling Stones soundtrack. The entire discography of the Stones could be used endlessly on House and it would be perfect. But for a movie as beautiful as this?

It’s going to take more than that.

I’m talking about the movie Across the Universe, wherein, from the very title, you should be able to discern the band I’m referring to. Yep, The Beatles. The entire movie is completely Beatle-centric, from the music to the people to dialogue. People named Jude, Max, Lucy, Sadie, Jojo and Prudence populate the movie, with strawberries and a circus thrown in for good measure.

It’s sort of a love story, first and foremost, though it ventures into political territory in some parts. Overall, it’s about a guy and a girl, Jude and Lucy respectively, who find love and identity and love again while surrounded by clashing ideologies, drugs and death.

It’s interesting how the music of the Fab Four was woven so smoothly and artistically into the story. I love the part where Jude sings “Revolution” to Lucy, who was so smitten with the fight against the Vietnam War. Chairman Mao makes a cameo. Classic. The part where Jojo and Jude sing “My Guitar Gently Weeps” is well, simply heartbreaking. And of course, the allegory of strawberries and bombs is *ahem* bloody brilliant. I would never have thought it possible, but it worked.

Plus they stage a rooftop concert reminiscent of the Beatles’ final performance together, similarly performing “Don’t Let Me Down”. And well, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a better rendition of “Hey, Jude” (especially the ecstatic heyjudeheyjudeheyjudeheyjude part), except maybe Hugh Laurie’s chipmunk version.

Some parts seemed a little forced, though, like the Mr. Kite scene. After a psychedelic rendition of “I am the Walrus” on a hippie bus, they all end up in a circus tent with a guy named Mr. Kite. Is that really necessary? It was an extended trip not only for the characters, but for the viewers as well.

I think more effort could have gone into the “Across the Universe” part, too. Really. It’s the title of the movie. Wouldn’t you think they’d give the scene a little more oomph? And why does a pimp sing “Come Together”?

Anyway, that’s a tiny, tiny gripe. The rest of the movie proceeds flawlessly. The actors were great, too, by the way. Makes you forget Rachel Evan Wood is actually girlfriend to Marilyn Manson in real life. I don’t know if it’s just me, but Jim Sturgess, who plays Jude, looks uncannily like a young Paul (though infinitely more handsome and rugged, sorry Paul), while Max (Joe Anderson) pre-draft reminded me of John Lennon. All he needs are the round glasses and he’s all set.

It’s a very interesting movie, to say the least, and I’m really not letting my obsession with the Beatles get in the way of my objective judgment (or am I?). It’s moving, really, and I’m rarely moved, if at all — by movies especially. It’s a lot to think about while you’re watching and the beautiful music by the Beatles will simply refuse to let you look away.

I can’t explain it, but it’s like there’s a certain power within Beatles songs that can wrench out your deepest, most painful emotions, particularly when juxtaposed with the right scenes. There’s something about their songs that just reels you in and never lets you go. It stays with you. There’s this scene where a kid caught in the middle of a riot in Detroit sings “Let It Be” and it just won’t let go. Haunting would be an insufficient word.

In the last scene, when Jude sings “All You Need Is Love”, I sort of believed that there’s nothing that can’t be done, if you have love.

Maybe it really is all we need.

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P.S. There’s this scene where an indignant Max states, “who you are defines what you do”.

I don’t know who I am, so what the hell should I do?

This entry was posted on Sunday, February 24th, 2008 at 12:29 pm and is filed under fangirl, movies, music. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.