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 & 77 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

Paul Rivers, an ailing mathematician lovelessly married to English émigré; Christina Peck, who's hiding a secret past; and Jack Jordan, an ex-convict who has found Jesus are brought together by a terrible accident which - dum-da-dum - 'changes their lives'.

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Plot Keywords:

sex in bed | breasts | unfaithfulness | extramarital affair | female nudity | 

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Taglines:

How much does life 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

Did You Know?

Trivia

Sean Penn and Naomi Watts would later appear in Fair Game 2018 Director's Cut' (2010).

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Goofs

When Paul Rivers walks away after telling Jack Jordan to leave, the cameraman's shadow can be seen on the ground and bushes in front of him.

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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

A María Eladia, Pues cuando ardió la pérdida Reverdecieron sus maizales

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Connections

Featured in 21 Grams: In Fragments (2004)

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Soundtracks

Cut Chemist Suite
(1998)
Written by Chali 2na, Ulises Bella (as Ulises Baldomero Bella), Will-Dog Abers (as Willy Abers),
Jose Espinosa (as Jose Ines Espinosa), William Marrufo, Raul Pacheco (as Raul Pacheco Jr.),
, Justin Poree, Asdrubal Sierra, Jiro Yamaguchi, Pablo Castorena,
, Alfredo Ortiz and Cut Chemist (as Lucas Christian MacFadden)
Performed by Ozomatli
Courtesy of Almo Sounds, Inc.
By Arrangement with Natural Energy Lab

User Reviews

Iñárritu delivers a film that may well live up to its hype and then some.

21 Grams features performances by Sean Penn, Benecio Del Torro and Naomi Watts that are remarkable not only for their believability, but also for the range of gut wrenching emotion they bring to bear. Telling his story almost violently out of sequence, Iñárritu makes no apology for presenting information in a manner that is often abrupt and/or confusing. His choice to juxtapose a myriad of images to reveal the complexities and subtleties of the characters challenges the viewer even as it elevates the story.

Each of the three main characters faces a series of crises that unfold in the fullness of Iñárritu's version of time. By so carefully painting characters' surroundings along with their reactions to the events that change their lives, lead characters are stripped to the bone. The supporting cast is nothing short of miraculous (notably Clea Duvall, Charlotte Gainsborg and Melissa Leo) and completes a wonderfully complex series of portraits of the three main characters.

Like few films in recent memory, 21 Grams fully reveals what it is to be human in the clutches of life's most challenging moments.

Details

Official Sites:

Bim Distribuzione [Italy]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 January 2004 (USA)

Also Known As:

21 Grams

Filming Locations:

Memphis, Tennessee, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$20,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$274,454, 23 November 2003

Gross USA:

$16,290,476

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