Across the Universe

A few days ago, Jason rented "Across the Universe". For those unfamiliar, it is a musical set entirely to Beatles' songs. Set in the late 1960's, it tells the tale of a young Englishman who comes to America in search of his American G.I. father and finds love and rebellion instead.

Jason pronounced it "interesting". I really liked it. In how many movies can you say, "Is that Joe Cocker?" and "Is that Bono?" and be correct? The changing tone and subject matter of the Beatles is most clearly seen (heard?) on the 1 cd, as they and American youth shed their innocence and struggled against the Vietnam war and the social upheaval of the times. This movie does the exact same thing, but with super talented singers and characters right out of the Beatles's songs. Jude, Lucy, Sadie, Prudence, Jo-Jo all tell their stories as their lives converge and they discover themselves and what they believe.

I was too young to participate in those crazy days of hippies and war and protest, but I was old enough to watch and to understand that something new and exciting was going on. I got stuck with disco as my generations' teen rebellion. Fun, but completely lacking in any sort of greater meaning.


Loki sez: Make love, not war!