Something a little different to the norm, Across The Universe is, in its simplest form, a collection of Beatles songs that have been strung together into a musical. But what a musical, and ultimately, what a fascinating film too. Across The Universe follows Jude, played by Jim Sturgess, who travels from Britain to America in the 1960s, and eventually meets Lucy (Evan Rachel Wood). The film then picks up the story of their romance, with the likes of Vietnam war protests sitting in the background, along with a strong-yet-unknown supporting cast who more than hold their own.
Across The Universe progresses its narrative through a mix of Beatles numbers, and it's a method that sometimes works exceptionally well, and at other times feels a little bit shoehorned. Nonetheless, more of it succeeds than fails, and there's no denying the quality of the musical work, even though it's not the Fab Four whose vocal talents are used.
Sometimes a bit uneven, Across The Universe is nonetheless a brave and bold screen musical, with a striking visual style. Director Julie Taymor--who previously directed the musical of The Lion King on Broadway--has fashioned a gleefully unusual movie, that's a bit risky, sometimes a bit stretched, but very, very watchable. One of the most interesting little gems of 2007. --Jon Foster