Quest for acceptance

Rating: 9/10 (3 September 2011)

Watching this film was like watching a masterpiece painting coming to life. Visually it reminded me a lot of Anton Corbijn's video-clip of R.E.M.'s song "Losing My Religion", but then with the captivating music of the Kronos Quartet 20 times longer, who by the way did such a good job in the "Requiem for a Dream"-film from the same director, who made this very picture; Darren Aronofsky.
I read that Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett were cast for the lead characters, but Brad went for Troy (big mistake). I do not know if these two could have done a better job then Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz, but actually I think the rolls would have fitted better with Latino actors to be honest. I think it is a missed opportunity there for Penelope Cruz or Salma Hayek and Antonio Banderas or some other Latino, who could have maybe given this film that extra star it needed to make it truly legendary.
But I am nitpicking this film to much. This film is a story of a man who cannot accept his wife is dying. His wife has already accepted her faith and has to painfully watch her husband struggle with this. This beautiful story is not about Tom trying to help Izzy by finding the cure for cancer, but exactly the opposite; the dying Izzy helping out Tom finding reconciliation with his ordeal of losing her. A wonderful film full of symbolism you can watch over and over again. 9/10