Across The Universe is like an imperfect gem: at times gorgeous, at times flawed. Visually, the movie is amazing: from scenes grounded in realism to the artistic interpretations of the times to the chemically-altered visions, all of them are wonderfully shot and feel like they all flow together, despite their disparate looks. Say what you will about Julie Taymor, but she always makes her productions good to look at. It’s mostly in the story where the movie breaks down. I’m not a person who always needs a solid linear narrative to enjoy a movie, but when a movie has a linear narrative that breaks, skips, and falters numerous times, there’s a problem. Sometimes I really had to work to get through some of the story, and while that too isn’t necessarily a problem, alternately being carried through the story and having to get out and push can take you out of the movie.

As this is a movie constructed out of themes and lyrics from Beatles songs, the music is also vitally important to the success of the movie. While all the singers are very good (in particular Evan Rachel Wood and ), the quality of the musical numbers vary. The songs are sometimes played fairly straight, and sometimes given to odd reimaginings, and it’s these interpretations that are sometimes hit-and-miss. A lot of the new versions are gorgeous: “I Want To Hold Your Hand” is reimagined as a slow, plaintive number about unrequited love, and the gospel choir version of “Let It Be” brought tears to my eyes. But for every good version, there are wretches: Bono’s version of “I Am The Walrus” was hard to sit through, and Eddie Izzard’s “Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite” was even more painful. I had some serious problems with the ending, some of which which I’ll try my best not to spoil, but I had to voice at least one of my complaints. When you have characters that are very strongly based on Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin, having them alive and smiling at the end of the movie is a bad call. It smacks of self-masturbatory wish-fulfillment.

Across The Universe has a lot of great, transcendental moments and quite a few shaky ones as well. It has its flaws, but it’s worth a watch, particularly if you’re a fan of Julie Taymor and/or The Beatles.