Across The Universe (2007)

Set in the turbulent 1960s, a shipyard worker (Jim Sturgess) in Liverpool  travels to the U.S. in the hopes of finding his G.I. father (Robert Clohessy). He becomes involved with an American girl (Evan Rachel Wood) and her brother (Joe Anderson). Directed by Julie Taymor, I'm tempted to call the film a piece of shit and leave it at that. But that would leave a lot of space. This is a series of mediocre music videos in search of a plot. The movie musical uses some 34 songs by The Beatles and incorporates some cliched narrative that has been done better by dozens of other movies set in the 1960s. With the exception of the Come Together number featuring Joe Cocker, the musical sequences are dire. One cringes for the poor actors. If I hadn't seen Evan Rachel Wood in other films, I'd never have guessed she's a talented actress. A pointless mess of a movie that deserved flopping at the box office although the film received several positive reviews including Roger Ebert and The New York Times. I suppose if you're nostalgic about the 1960s, this might appeal to you but you're better off with HAIR. With Eddie Izzard, Bono, Dana Fuchs, Martin Luther McCoy, Dylan Baker and Bill Irwin.