Across the universe and back in time

Rating: 9/10 (21 November 2007)

Obviously, a film such as Julie Taymor's Across the Universe isn't going to please everyone. Some may discount it, as I nearly did, because they've seen previously released and dismally fashioned limited or entirely non-verbal "rock" musicals. Two that come to mind are Tommy, which was a total disaster, and The Wall, which badly needed at least minimal dialog. However, I put away my preconceived notions based on word of mouth and found the themes, characters, settings and music in Taymor's film to be entirely believable and thoroughly engaging. There is truth in the story and characters that transported me to a parallel universe, one that existed for me nearly 40 years ago when I lived in NYC and volunteered with the National Peace Action Coalition for a time. The place, the time, the marches and the protests against the war in Viet Nam are excellently conveyed to the screen. Similarly, the music resonates with meaning and feeling; and the music too reminded me of an essential aspect of my youth. Yes, I cut school along with some of my 9th grade friends to welcome the Beatles when they landed in Queens a few short months after the death of President Kennedy; yes, I saw them twice at Shea; and yes, I grew my hair longer, wore boots, and sported a suede jacket like the one the fab four sport on the cover of Rubber Soul, while I walked the halls of high school with a copy of Sgt. Pepper under my arm four years later as my classmates got ready to graduate. As with so many of that generation, the Beatles' music is the soundtrack I hear when memories of youth come flooding back. Conseqently, Taymor was treading on somewhat sacred ground by having the music come from other mouths. But she ascended almost immediately. That said, I thoroughly enjoyed the film, as did my son. Even the music, which I thought I knew from every angle and nuance, gained new meaning for me at times. One slight example, Evan Rachel Wood's If I Fell. Though I can't say I enjoyed every single minute, I was transfixed by Taymor's characters, themes, and images, as well as by the Beatles' lyrics for damn near the entire running time. So was my 21 year old son, Julian when we took in a recent late morning matinÃ©e. The timing was our good fortune because we had a private screening in a multiplex theater that was empty except for the two of us. In short, Across the Universe is a film experience that will engage anyone who gives it the opportunity on many levels. As we said back in the day, be prepared to be blown away. PTMR