Directed by Danny Boyle. Starring James Franco.
83rd Oscars - 6 nominations: Best Picture, Actor (James Franco), Editing, Writing (Adapted Screenplay), Score (A.R. Rahman), Original Song.
Of all the best picture nominees, I wavered the most about whether or not I wanted to see 127 Hours. I love Danny Boyle -- his Millions to Slumdog Millionaire are excellent -- and I think he has a great ability to find beauty in the human spirit. Furthermore, I find survivor stories uplifting, and I recently read the fantastic book Miracle in the Andes by Nando Parrado (about a plane crash). Lastly, I continue to be intrigued by the man that is James Franco. Despite all this, I just didn't know if I could handle watching a man cut his own arm off on film. I had almost written it off completely when I decided I was going to see all of the Best Picture and Acting nominees regardless of any qualms I had.
Above all, I need to tell you that this film is INCREDIBLE. I wholeheartedly recommend that everyone see it (if you're squeamish, close your eyes at the end!) and am disappointed it got overshadowed by more predictably Academy-friendly films like the "triumphant and edgy biopics" of The King's Speech and The Social Network. [By the way, the arm-cutting is, quite honestly, such a small moment in an otherwise completely beautiful film, that it's certainly not a valid reason to skip the film altogether.]
Aron Ralston (Franco) at the beginning of the film cannot be tamed. He lives with a wild abandon, throwing himself into the middle-of-nowhere in Moab, Utah; carelessly grabbing supplies, and figuring he can always return his mother's phone call tomorrow (...if only he had picked up that phone and told her where he was going). Once out on the trail, he bumps into two girls, lost, and offers to give them directions. He leads them on a special route that involves sliding down a narrow crevice, and then dropping several hundred feet into a pool of luminescent blue water. And, I have to say, he makes the audience want to take that drop with him. He is a man who wants to live, and live hard -- and the film lures you into his carefree and adventurous spirit.
That's why it's such a surprise -- even though you probably know what happens in the film -- when a rock shifts and he falls and ends up trapped. The ultimate wild child has been pinned down, and at first, neither you nor him want to believe it. But then you do. He assesses his supplies, and realizes that he didn't tell anyone where he was going. Round about this time is when the film's title card actually comes on the screen -- surprising, because it must be a good 30 minutes into the film. When "127 Hours" shows up, you realize that the title is like a stopwatch... how long can he survive?
My favorite scene in the film features Ralston, who keeps his moral up by talking into his video camera until the battery dies, enacting a talk show. With the use of camera angles and sound effects such, Ralston is made to be the host, guest, and call-in listener, all in one. This scene, and the whole film in general, makes me admire James Franco to the nth degree. This isn't a film of ensemble cast members playing off each other for maximum effect -- what you see for almost the entire film is Franco, carrying your attention, and messing with your emotions for an hour and a half. And, boy, does he put you through the emotional ringer. He plays so many roles -- so many "types" of Ralstons, if you will, that it really brings new meaning to "Best Lead Actor."
I could go on and on about this film -- and I already have -- so let me round off this discussion by commenting on how artistic it was. There's something very non-classical about Danny Boyle's approach to this film. One simple shot in particular springs to mind... before Ralston is trapped, as he's hiking toward his destination, he runs his hand along the fluid red Moab rocks. The camera follows him closely, arching over the smooth stone. It's a small moment with breathtaking beauty and significance to the film. Furthermore, Boyle utilizes multiple cameras and split-screen in an interesting way. He lessens the blow of the final gory arm-hacking moment with the use of an impressive array of fast cuts. He highlights Ralston's experiences with hallucinations, memories, and dream sequences. It's incredibly thoughtful and makes for quite the masterpiece. Bravo!
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