So, I finally saw Cloud Atlas. I originally read this with Jay, which seems like forever ago. While I did deride the film when I first learned of its existence, I fear I did it out of anguish. Better put, I was terrified of seeing something we both loved without him. Survivors guilt, I suppose. Regardless, Id like to think that there were some truth in my hesitation. Cloud Atlas (the novel) is an epic romance that holds a mirror to man and shows us where weve been, who we are and where were going. It accurately catalogs our failings that allow us to minimize the suffering of others because they are poor, black, gay, illegal, etc. Not only that but the telling of six stories so brutally varied, yet so closely tied together over millenia in a manner that is not always contiguous. The logistical nightmare of identifying the lovers, the villain and the good and evil forces that flow from one story to the next without confusing the viewer. Suffice it to say, there are no shortage of problems with telling that story on film. Fortunately the Wachowskis do an amazing job pulling it off. From beginning to end you are sucked into these diverse stories. Through the use of make-up and prosthetics actors are remade into different races and genders to tell the story the way it reads. Then there are the alarmingly wonderful performances of Hugh Grant and Donna Bae. To be fair the entire cast was phenomenal, but these two surprised me. Hugh Grant is nearly unrecognizable and gracefully pulls off each role in a fashion so believable you forget until the credits that he was even in the film. And Donna Bae gave life to Sonmi-451 in a way I never thought possible and a way I feel the writer never did. You care about Sonmis horrible story, not because its horrible, not because she rises above it - literally sacrificing everything - but because Miss Bae leaves you no choice but to care. Her wide eyed exhilaration as she ascends is spectacular and case and point of my major criticism of David Mitchells writing. In Mitchells book, Sonmis moment of ascension is very cerebral. You get there is joy but it ends up painting a critical character flat. In the Wachowskis film, Ms. Bae doesnt just convey the excitement but also the fear of leaving a life behind for something she may have always wanted but had clue what to do with. That choice, that fear, speaks volumes into her character and was beautifully portrayed. Ultimately like any movie turned into book I missed some parts. Though understandable for a film that runs 2 hours and 55 minutes. Still Mr. Mitchell gets a leg up on the Wachowskis who leave out, what I feel is an important piece. In the book each story comments on its predecessor in some way. The main character in each is gifted a glimpse into the predecessors life. Generally through recreational media. A journal, a Symphony and a collection of love letters, a book, a film and in one instance the word of God. The last obviously Mr. Mitchells commentary as it turns out to be more of a Vlog and a call for freedom and change. Still while these things exist in the film, they are given short shrift which is sad. The main characters share so much and their thoughts on their predecessors say so much about BOTH characters. That said, the film is still remarkable and a testament to Mr. Mitchells wonderful work. I highly recommend it. But of course, the book is better :D
Posted on: Tue, 29 Oct 2013 07:51:33 +0000
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