I will hold my hand up. The only thing that really piqued my interest about seeing this film is witnessing the arm amputation with a pen knife scene. Shallow or what? Specifically, James Franco in said scene. As far as I was concerned, he was far too pretty to be involved in such a film. He has no gravitas whatsover. Danny Boyle directing and James Franco starring?! The bloke from the Spider Man films and the James Dean biopic? The really handsome one from the Gucci perfume advert? It had disaster written all over it - he surely couldn't carry this off?
Except Mr Boyle (or whoever cast James Franco) in the lead role clearly knew what they were doing because he is absolutely brilliant in the role of Aron Ralston, the mountain climber who becomes trapped in a canyon in Utah after a boulder crashes onto his arm.
I haven't really spoilt anything by saying what he does to escape from this plight as the story is well known (being true and all that and all over the news at the time) but do go and see this movie if you want to see film making at its best. I'm not an expert by any means on what makes a good film but I do know that I want a film to move me, to make me care about the characters, to make me stressed and happy all at the same time and to make me feel like I have experienced something.
Danny Boyle manages to do this and then some. Through the excellent use of music, cinematography, excellent writing and, of course, his directing I felt like I was there in the canyon experiencing every bit of raw emotion Aron Ralston was going through.
And even though THE said scene made me squeak and squirm and slightly nauseous, I was willing him to do it as by this point I wanted him to survive. I wanted him to escape the canyon. I was willing him on. I didn't even like Aron Ralston as a person - what selfish first-class idiot goes mountain climbing in the Utah desert without telling anyone where he is going?
All credit to James Franco's superb acting for making me care so much. His performance is so compelling and so moving I felt a little bad for thinking he wasn't capable of such a role. Shame on me. And shame on you if you don't see this film. Go and see it. It will make you feel euphoric.
And happy to be alive.
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