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21 Grams (2003)

Rate: 5
Viewed: 4/04, 10/11

21g
10/11: So...how many cartons of cigarettes does Sean Penn smoke every film he stars in?

Anyway, lowering my rating from '6' to '5', 21 Grams is too long as at least half an hour should be cut out. It's also manipulative with misguided social messages and heavy-handed in the drama department. Although the editing is adroitly done, I'm left nauseous because of the shaky camera effect.

The three principal players trying to make their characters' situations pathetic as much as possible is overboard. Sean Penn is dull while Benicio del Toro should've taken his talent elsewhere. But it's Naomi Watts who turns in a strong performance as the depressed widow who lost two daughters in a freak car accident and had given up on her life.

By the way, it's not true that the body loses 21 grams immediately after death. It's always losing weight from decay, and the time of death cannot be exactly determined.

All in all, the plot of 21 Grams isn't compelling enough to warrant attention.