21 Grams (2003)

A freak accident brings together a critically ill mathematician, a grieving mother, and a born-again ex-con.

Director:

Alejandro G. Iñárritu (as Alejandro González Iñárritu)

Writer:

Guillermo Arriaga

Stars:

Sean Penn, Benicio Del Toro, Naomi Watts

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 30 wins & 76 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Sean Penn	...	Paul Rivers
Naomi Watts	...	Cristina Peck
Danny Huston	...	Michael
Carly Nahon	...	Cathy
Claire Pakis	...	Laura
Benicio Del Toro	...	Jack Jordan
Nick Nichols	...	Boy
Charlotte Gainsbourg	...	Mary Rivers
John Rubinstein	...	Gynecologist
Eddie Marsan	...	Reverend John
Loyd Keith Salter	...	Fat Man
Antef A. Harris	...	Basketball Guy
Melissa Leo	...	Marianne Jordan
Marc Musso	...	Freddy (as Marc Thomas Musso)
Teresa Delgado	...	Gina

Storyline

This is the story of three well-meaning but flawed people: Paul Rivers, an ailing mathematician lovelessly married to an English émigré; Christina Peck, an upper-middle-class suburban housewife, happily married homemaker with two young daughters, with hiding a secret past; and Jack Jordan, an ex-convict who has found in his Christian faith the strength to live a law-abiding life and raise a family. They will be brought together by a terrible accident that will change their lives. By the final frame, none of them will be the same as they will have learnt harsh truths about love, faith, courage, desire and guilt, and how chance can change our worlds irretrievably, forever.

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Plot Keywords:

panties | voyeur | sex in bed | red panties | fondling | 

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Taglines:

How much does love weigh?

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language, sexuality, some violence and drug use

Details

Official Sites:

Bim Distribuzione [Italy] Focus Features [United States]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 January 2004 (USA)

Also Known As:

21 gram

Filming Locations:

Memphis, Tennessee, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$20,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$274,454, 23 November 2003, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$16,248,701, 21 March 2004

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$60,427,839

Company Credits

Production Co:

This Is That Productions, Y Productions, Mediana Productions Filmgesellschaft

Technical Specs

Runtime:

124 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The Spanish-language dedication to María Eladia at the end, "pues cuando ardió la pérdida, reverdecieron sus maizales," translates literally as "for when the loss burned, their cornfields became green again."

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Goofs

Months after the operation, after sleeping with Cristina, Paul still has a "hospital shave" on his chest.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Michael: Check, please.
Cathy: Look Daddy, a volcano.
[Cathy blows bubbles into her soft drink]
Michael: It's very pretty. Drink up your volcano. All right. We're going. Mommy's waiting.
Cathy: Daddy, please. Just one more minute.

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Crazy Credits

Thanks to ÁLos amo!

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Connections

References Toy Story (1995)

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Soundtracks

Low Rider
(1975)
Written by Thomas Allen (as Sylvester Allen), Harold R. Brown, Morris D. Dickerson,
Lonnie Jordan (as Leroy L. Jordan), Charles Miller (as Charles W. Miller),
, Lee Oskar, Howard E. Scott (as Howard Scott) and Jerry Goldstein (as Harry Goldstein)
Performed by War
Courtesy of Avenue Records

User Reviews

Ironic, brave, intense...

Snapshots of tragedy: the lives of three people--a wife and mother of two, a dying man in need of a new heart, and an ex-con turned counselor at a religious center--intersect after a tragic car accident. The film consists of episodes in their lives (before and after the accident) which are shuffled about, with scene after dramatic scene served up--one may assume--in random order; yet there's a method to this editing madness, and the film's narrative actually feels much more linear in retrospect. Director Alejandro González Iñárritu is visually addicted to squalor (he sees the lonely beauty of it) and his film is unrelentingly gritty; this ambiance is matched by the performances of all three principles (Naomi Watts, Sean Penn, and Benicio Del Toro), each of whom perform totally without vanity. It is a remarkable achievement, with a few sequences of textbook dramatics completely recharged by the style, the desperate energy, and the emotionally gripping handling. ***1/2 from ****