In May of 2003, while on a hiking trip in Canyonlands, Utah, 28 year old mountain climber Aron Ralston slipped into a canyon and found his arm stuck beneath a boulder. Ralston spent five days with his arm trapped, trying every possible way to move the giant rock. On the fifth day, when it became clear that it wasn't going anywhere Ralston made a life changing decision and amputated his arm with the blunt pocket knife he had been using to chip away at the boulder.
That a film was made of Ralston's horrific tale is a given, that it is possibly the best film of last year is utterly remarkable.
Hollywood loves a real life tale of survival. A hundred projects to produce a film of Ralston's ordeal were probably greenlit five minutes after he was rescued. Fortunately, the project that made it into production, based on Ralston's autobiography 'Between a Rock and a Hard Place' was produced and directed by Danny Boyle.
Danny Boyle hasn't made a bad film. He is a fearless director, seemingly determined to conquer every genre. See how casually he created one of the best British horrors in recent memory with 28 Days Later. See how easily he turned Sunshine (a run of the mill "let's use nukes to save the Earth" story) into a beautiful and compelling Sci-Fi thriller. Now he tries his hand at a biography, and while 127 hours may be the smallest film Boyle has tackled, from a story telling point of view it must have been the most challenging.
Happily he rose to the challenge and, once again, turned in a masterpiece. It is nothing short of staggering how much mileage Boyle was able to get from what is essentially a man wedged into a hole for two hours. Every conceivable angle or vantage point is exploited to maximum effect to accent Ralston's nightmare situation. Which is what you would expect from a director so gifted at taking art house sensibilities and cramming them it into mainstream cinema. Boyle's skill, eye for attention, and ability to see past the obvious allows him to conjure images and camera angles that you simply wouldn't think possible. A lesser director might have been satisfied with some extreme close ups and an aerial shot, whereas Boyle will literally stuff his camera into Ralston's water canteen to get the very most out of the shot. You just don't get that by throwing millions of dollars at a film.
With all that said, the talent behind the camera would have gone to waste if the man in front of it couldn't deliver.
I have to admit, I wrote James Franco off when I first became aware of him. In my defense, it was his turn in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man films that did it. Whether he was miscast or just uncomfortable in the role, his performance was just off. Uneven and awkward, Harry Osborne wasn't just annoying, he was boring, and I'm ashamed to say it, I thought that was Franco. Then Pineapple Express was released and I was proven very wrong. It doesn't matter that Pineapple Express is a buddy/action/stoner/comedy, Franco's performance as Saul Silver is incredible, breathing life and vulnerability in to what is essentially a stoned sidekick.
He brings that energy and more to his portrayal of Aron, and he does it by wisely downplaying the performance. Perhaps the most fascinating aspect of Aron Ralston and his story is how modest and matter-of-fact he is about it all. When told how courageous his actions where he shrugs them off, convinced that anyone in his position would have down the same. Franco embodies that and Ralston's spirit. His Ralston is an adventurer, even finding himself in that diabolical situation was just part of trip. An occupational hazard. For the performance to work you absolutely have to believe that Ralston won't give up. There is a moment where he whispers to himself "Don't lose it. Do not lose it" Franco nails that mind set and gives a stunning, Oscar worthy performance.
There is a twisted sense of humour to 127 hours as well. As Ralston's mental state deteriorates, Boyle and Franco get to have some fun. A chat show that Ralston finds himself in ends up being one of the funnier scenes of last year and don't be surprised to see a famous cartoon dog make an appearance. The fun and games don't last though. Boyle does an incredible job ratcheting up the tension throughout 127 hours. Even in it's lighter moments, there is a prevailing sense of dread and as the moment comes closer it's impossible not to find yourself sinking into your chair.
The amputation, (a sequence that caused two members of my audience to pass out) is absolutely one of the most harrowing things I've seen in the cinema and shot with more skill than all your Hostel and Saw directors combined. Without going into too much detail, once the knife becomes completely useless, Ralston is forced to finish the job by hand. It is a difficult watch to say the least but again, Franco's incredible performance makes it impossible to turn away.
127 hours is a simple story (walking in you know exactly how it begins and ends), but it is an incredible story. A fascinating insight into what the human being is capable of doing to survive. It's a story done justice by a incredible director and an amazing performer. It's uplifting and awful, but inspiring. By the time the credits roll and Ralston himself takes a bow you'd be forgiven for feeling emotional... if you're still conscious.
That a film was made of Ralston's horrific tale is a given, that it is possibly the best film of last year is utterly remarkable.
Hollywood loves a real life tale of survival. A hundred projects to produce a film of Ralston's ordeal were probably greenlit five minutes after he was rescued. Fortunately, the project that made it into production, based on Ralston's autobiography 'Between a Rock and a Hard Place' was produced and directed by Danny Boyle.
Danny Boyle hasn't made a bad film. He is a fearless director, seemingly determined to conquer every genre. See how casually he created one of the best British horrors in recent memory with 28 Days Later. See how easily he turned Sunshine (a run of the mill "let's use nukes to save the Earth" story) into a beautiful and compelling Sci-Fi thriller. Now he tries his hand at a biography, and while 127 hours may be the smallest film Boyle has tackled, from a story telling point of view it must have been the most challenging.
Happily he rose to the challenge and, once again, turned in a masterpiece. It is nothing short of staggering how much mileage Boyle was able to get from what is essentially a man wedged into a hole for two hours. Every conceivable angle or vantage point is exploited to maximum effect to accent Ralston's nightmare situation. Which is what you would expect from a director so gifted at taking art house sensibilities and cramming them it into mainstream cinema. Boyle's skill, eye for attention, and ability to see past the obvious allows him to conjure images and camera angles that you simply wouldn't think possible. A lesser director might have been satisfied with some extreme close ups and an aerial shot, whereas Boyle will literally stuff his camera into Ralston's water canteen to get the very most out of the shot. You just don't get that by throwing millions of dollars at a film.
With all that said, the talent behind the camera would have gone to waste if the man in front of it couldn't deliver.
I have to admit, I wrote James Franco off when I first became aware of him. In my defense, it was his turn in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man films that did it. Whether he was miscast or just uncomfortable in the role, his performance was just off. Uneven and awkward, Harry Osborne wasn't just annoying, he was boring, and I'm ashamed to say it, I thought that was Franco. Then Pineapple Express was released and I was proven very wrong. It doesn't matter that Pineapple Express is a buddy/action/stoner/comedy, Franco's performance as Saul Silver is incredible, breathing life and vulnerability in to what is essentially a stoned sidekick.
He brings that energy and more to his portrayal of Aron, and he does it by wisely downplaying the performance. Perhaps the most fascinating aspect of Aron Ralston and his story is how modest and matter-of-fact he is about it all. When told how courageous his actions where he shrugs them off, convinced that anyone in his position would have down the same. Franco embodies that and Ralston's spirit. His Ralston is an adventurer, even finding himself in that diabolical situation was just part of trip. An occupational hazard. For the performance to work you absolutely have to believe that Ralston won't give up. There is a moment where he whispers to himself "Don't lose it. Do not lose it" Franco nails that mind set and gives a stunning, Oscar worthy performance.
There is a twisted sense of humour to 127 hours as well. As Ralston's mental state deteriorates, Boyle and Franco get to have some fun. A chat show that Ralston finds himself in ends up being one of the funnier scenes of last year and don't be surprised to see a famous cartoon dog make an appearance. The fun and games don't last though. Boyle does an incredible job ratcheting up the tension throughout 127 hours. Even in it's lighter moments, there is a prevailing sense of dread and as the moment comes closer it's impossible not to find yourself sinking into your chair.
The amputation, (a sequence that caused two members of my audience to pass out) is absolutely one of the most harrowing things I've seen in the cinema and shot with more skill than all your Hostel and Saw directors combined. Without going into too much detail, once the knife becomes completely useless, Ralston is forced to finish the job by hand. It is a difficult watch to say the least but again, Franco's incredible performance makes it impossible to turn away.
127 hours is a simple story (walking in you know exactly how it begins and ends), but it is an incredible story. A fascinating insight into what the human being is capable of doing to survive. It's a story done justice by a incredible director and an amazing performer. It's uplifting and awful, but inspiring. By the time the credits roll and Ralston himself takes a bow you'd be forgiven for feeling emotional... if you're still conscious.
2 comments:
Great movie! Great review!
Thank you Anonymous. That was a great comment!
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