Across the Universe

Director: Julie Taymor

Starring: Jim Sturgess, Evan Rachel Wood, Joe Anderson, Dana Fuchs

In the 1960s, Jude (Strugess) leaves the docks of Liverpool in search for his G.I. father in the U.S. This is the occasion for a fresh start, new encounters, friends, and love: soon, Jude has around him a whole clique of friends, notably Lucy (Evan Rachel Wood). And then, the Vietnam War happens, and death strikes: Lucy's boyfriend is killed in action, and youngsters get sent to war. It is on this background that relatively apolitical and arts-centered Jude, and radical anti-war activist Lucy, start a tumultuous relationship.

Despite a strongly developed plot mixing deep themes like war, death, violence and police state, and the lighter theme of love, and despite the strength of the writing, the evolution of Jude's story is not in itself the core of Across the Universe. The film is strongly thematic, and more interested in the feel of the situation at hand than in the events leading up to it.

This leaves Across the Universe the opportunity to spend time on very strong moments of melancholy, careless joy, enthusiastic love, etc; and the very essence of these moments is captured by a deliberate play on colours; but it is mainly thanks to the music, which cements these elements together, that all the scenes are so moving.

The film has the very special characteristic that it started from the Beatles' lyrics to tell the story behind them. This revolutionary way to tackle a musical (i.e. from the songs to the film rather than the opposite) makes Across the Universe a wholly unique film, whose path we can but hope will be explored further in the coming years.

An absolute must-see for its originality and its perfection.

Pierre Schramm