I love movies. If someone calls me and asks if I want to see a movie, I say yes. Don’t care what it is. I love watching movies. There have been a few movies that I did not like the first time I saw them yet later developed an appreciation for them. Unfortunately, I don’t think 21 Grams will make that list.
Buy 21 Grams Blu-ray“21 grams” refers to a study published in 1907 by Duncan MacDougall, a physician who hypothesized that souls have physical weight, and attempted to measure the mass lost by a human when the soul departed the body. MacDougall attempted to measure the mass change of six patients at the moment of death. One of the six subjects lost three-quarters of an ounce (21.3 grams). The painful subject matter and the way it was depicted in the film 21 Grams certainly put a drain on my soul.
I found the abrupt directorial style of Alejandro G. Iñárritu to be off-putting as we are immediately thrust into a story of broken people in segments of the overall story that are shown out of order making them challenging to understand and difficult to enjoy. I say “difficult to enjoy” simply because there are no likable characters in the story. Compassion inducing, but not particularly likable.
I’m not sure why I never saw this film in the nearly 22 years since its release, but considering the overall U.S. and Canada Box Office of $16,290,476, many people also missed it. I can’t help but notice the awards, nominations, and favorable reviews bestowed upon 21 Grams, so, what did I miss? Ironically, it was at this point in writing my review that my computer crashed due to a virus and had to be sent out for reimaging. So, I sat down and watched the re-released Blu-ray from April 2025 again. I will say that my appreciation for the performances increased, but I kept asking myself why this horrible tale needed to be told. Cristina Peck (Naomi Watts) is a recovering drug addict. Paul Rivers (Sean Penn) is a mathematics professor with a fatal heart condition. Jack Jordan (Benicio Del Toro) is a former convict who is using his new-found religious faith to recover from drug addiction and alcoholism. We see the characters at low points in their lives and how a horrific event eventually links them together. Ugh, just writing this is depressing me again.
The release includes a 20-minute making of feature entitled 21 Grams: In Fragments which clearly displays the passion Iñárritu has for this project and for directing. Unfortunately, passion and the unique directing choices were not enough to make this painful story worth experiencing. Ultimately, I have to give 21 Grams: Ron’s Rejection.
