Tears In Zero Gravity

Rating: 7/10 (13 December 2013)

The set-up is simplicity itself, you probably know what it's about, so let's not waste time with that.
On the positive side it's gripping, fast-paced and involving. Visually, it is superb, one of the best–looking, best designed movies you're ever likely to see. Overall, an intense little thriller with some well-sustained edge-of-the-seat moments and a neat, quite brave twist as the one half of this superstar two-hander bows out half way through the running time. In some respects, the most interesting and charismatic of the two as it happens.
On the downside, the dialogue is mostly doggerel – trite, manufactured and clunky. The hackneyed and stage-managed life-affirming epiphany bestowed on Bullock's insular grief-stricken character is both heavy-handed and monumentally unsubtle. And a bit gag-inducing to boot. I can do without references to a child's missing red shoe and knotted hair and conversations in the afterlife and all that phony corn-syrup coating.
The two leads do relatively well with their cardboard cut-out roles. Clooney is his usual practised mix of macho smarm and sophisticated swagger. Bullock whinges and hyperventilates effectively all over the place whilst her frozen face is now surgically incapacitated beyond the remotest chance of projecting convincing emotional expressions.
There are some great touches which could have delivered much more emotional impact. For instance, Bullock's tears floating in zero gravity. Now if only her face could have looked as if she were actually distressed and crying that would have been an amazing scene, rather than one that merely strikes as a very imaginative creative idea.
Cuaron directs with confidence and style and he conveys a stunning atmosphere of outer-space realism with a convincing use of physics and dizzying camera-work. He makes it easy to believe in the on-screen environment he has created. Sadly, I found it a lot harder to believe in the characters. It's strange but true, little things like bad dialogue and blank facial expressions that don't fit dramatic situations can jolt you out of a carefully constructed and immersive cinematic environment, diminishing the experience somewhat.
Bottom line, a solid, well-made, sci-fi flick with an ingenious narrative. Shame that shoddy characterisation and dialogue along with some self-imposed physical restrictions on the part of the lead-actress let it down. Could have been great, but wasn't. However, remains very good viewing despite the wasted potential.
Ah, wasted potential. Always the worst cinematic crime.