21 Grams (2003)

Nothing in 21 Grams arrives in order, and you have to do the sorting. For the first half hour that keeps you at arm’s length, flipping between a hospital bed, a swimming pool and a motel room with no idea how they fit. Then the pieces lock, and it becomes one of the heaviest dramas of its decade. Alejandro González Iñárritu follows three strangers bound together by one accident and a family loss, and never turns their grief into a show. Naomi Watts is shattering as Cristina, a woman whose calm life breaks in an afternoon. Benicio del Toro plays Jack as a man clinging to his faith with both hands, terrified of who he is without it. Sean Penn’s Paul is quieter, a man on borrowed time looking for a reason. It made $60.5 million worldwide on a reported $20M. An 8.1 because the acting is fearless even when the structure fights you. $2,899 says you finish it and step outside for some air before you’re ready to talk about it.

What works: Naomi Watts, Benicio del Toro and Sean Penn give raw, honest performances, and the film treats grief with real seriousness.

What doesn’t: The shuffled timeline keeps you at a distance for too long, and the relentless heaviness is a lot to take in one sitting.

Who it’s for: Viewers who want a serious, demanding drama about grief, guilt and second chances, and don’t mind putting the puzzle together themselves.