Across the Universe.

Recently, I rented Across the Universe (using one of my free Redbox codes) and well, let's just say I am very grateful it was free! Quick review of things I like: The Beatles, musicals, movies, music, the '60's, and strawberries. Following the mathematical formula Things I Like multiplied by Number of Things I Like = Movie I Like, I should have liked this movie. But I didn't and it made me sad. I don't know if I'm just an oddball here, I was really surprised this has a 7.7 out of 10 on IMDB. Maybe I had too high expectations?

Basic summary of my general dislike: too long, and I just didn't care about the characters or story.

Longer explanation of my dislike starts off with the biggest annoyance, I just didn't buy the "love" between the two main characters. I guess I should stop here and say "Spoilers Ahead." Anywho, Lucy and Jude seemed to just end up together because they were near one another. I get that he dug her from when he first saw her, but she was in love with someone else and there didn't seem to be any chemistry. I feel like it would have been more effective to have it be a love at first sight kind of story or show the audience him pursuing her. Going on one walk doesn't count. They had a nice little moment when they first met with their flirty teeth talk but then nothing.

I think they could have done this better and my suggestion would be to kill off Lucy's brother and Jude's roommate and friend, Max, when he went to Vietnam. This would have brought Jude and Lucy together and made Lucy's anti-war stance even more justified. Sub rant: Lucy went from being a preppy high school kid to dressing like a soccer mom, they could have tossed a little bit of hippie on her instead of vomiting it all over Sadie's wardrobe.

#2 -- It pissed me off how the writer threw in random side characters in order to reference another Beatles' song. Oh, did she really "come in through the bathroom window?" How clever and hip you are movie! I could have lived without lesbian Prudence disappearing and reappearing, and Sadie and Jojo's band and their woes. To me, these made the movie too long and dragged it down. They could have used that time to build and develop Jude and Lucy's relationship. A lot of what happened and was sung could have happened without the shift to those characters.

Next up is the whole ridiculousness with Lucy being mad at Jude for not going out and being more active in the anti-war movement. Bitch, he was in this country illegally to be with your dumb ass thus why it's probably best for him to avoid any legal trouble. This brings up another point, I'm not exactly sure why Jude had to be English. Was it just because The Beatles were? He got deported (because of dumb Lucy) and then seemed to get a real Visa in about two weeks. Oh, heavens! However did the star crossed lovers handle such separation?

Returning to the war issue, but I felt that it didn't affect Jude. Yes, it affected him because it was a major world event in his lifetime, it was wrong and horrible, innocent people died and his best friend was drafted, but it wasn't like super personal. As Lucy mentioned, he couldn't get drafted and they never mention any of the war's effect on England and his family and friends there. Again, another good reason to have killed Max.

I will be nice and say that everyone in the film could sing very will and I think Jim Sturgess did a good job as Jude. Other positives included the bowling alley scene (musical numbers in bowling alleys rock) for the awesome song and showing Jude and his attraction to Lucy, and the Mr. Kite scene and its effects or whatever it would be called.

I really wanted to like this movie, but it just didn't happen. I just didn't care. They had good material to work with (the entire Beatles' catalog) and good basics for a story, but it needed a bit more thought and focus. It might be worth a rental to play in the background while you hang out, but it's not seeing in a theater or buying the DVD worthy.

Wow, that was long! If you made it through all that, please reward yourself with this gem.