(2.5 out of 5 stars)

Across The Universe is a movie about a relationship between a guy from Liverpool and an American girl during the turbulent times of the 1960s in the United States. The entire movie is done in musical style using updated versions of a myriad of Beatles songs. The use of the songs works, but style trimuphs over substance and doesn’t give us the emotional connection that it needs for the audience to truly connect with this film.

Jim Sturgess and Evan Rachel Wood play the couple, and they also sing their respective parts in the movie. Sturgess’ voice and look is very Beatlesque which truly suits the movie. Wood does fine, but presents nothing memorable.  Since there isn’t that much for the actors to work with, they are fine in their respective parts.

Julie Taymor, of Broadway’s Lion King fame, directs and provides the viewer with amazement and psychedelic production numbers with extras dancing along the streets, and visual effects creating the stoned effect of the 60s. The problem is that she focuses on the effects and the look much more than telling the story in a script. It seems she is attempting to put a Broadway musical onscreen, but in stage version rather than movie version. The movie seems small in one sense, even though it wants to be a big production. Also, some of the visual effects are distracting and seem like an extra that doesn’t belong in the movie. Some of the numbers don‘t do anything to tell the story. 

The music is beautiful and possibly worth a purchase especially if you are an open minded Beatles fan (and can deal with tradition being messed with), but if you’re watching the movie for the story, this is not the musical for you. For music and story, watch ‘Once’. The little Irish film that could is a far superior celebration of music and relationship all packaged into one.

Similar recommended titles: Once, Yentl and Chicago