It's All About Love (2003)
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Claire Danes, Sean Penn, Douglas Henshall, Alun Armstrong, Margo Martindale, Mark Strong, Geoffrey Hutchings, Sean-Michael Smith
Director: Thomas Vinterberg
Running Time: 104 minutes
US MPAA rating: RUK BBFC rating: 15
Drama, Romance, Science Fiction, Thriller
On DVD It's 2021, and old Mother Earth is having a right torrid time of it. Temperatures are plummeting, impromptu heart-attacks are causing random everyday-types to drop dead on the street, and - most bizarrely of all - a problem with the gravitational pull over Africa is causing hapless Ugandan villagers to float off into the ether. Yup, it's fair to say we've made a proper pig's ear of looking after this planet of ours.
It's amid all of this hoo-ha that we meet John (Joaquin Phoenix). He's trying to get his estranged Polish ice-skater missus Elena (Claire Danes) to sign their divorce papers. The trouble is, she keeps getting distracted by the gang of heavies who have been hired to kill her, and the four clones that have been created to take her place once she's six feet under. So, accompanied by Elena's mustard-suited simpleton of a brother (Douglas Henshall) and wearing their dodgy Eastern European accents like a particularly uncomfortable pair of shoes, John and Elena decide to go on the run.
It's written and helmed by Thomas Vinterberg, the Danish director best-known for co-founding the less-is-more doctrine "Dogme 95" with countryman Lars von Trier. Ironically, though, this film plopsies square in the face of the Dogme 95 basics, choosing style over substance at practically every turn. The dialogue (with the exception of Sean Penn's fleeting scenes as John's brother) is weak and witless, the story slow and unengaging, and the characters cold and nigh-on impossible to relate to (despite the title, their seemingly all-important love for one another seldom rings true).
Sure, 'It's All About Love' is great to look at. The contrast between the futuristic cityscapes and snow-covered countryside provides a sharp visual treat. Unfortunately, mere aesthetics can never make up for turgid storytelling, feeble acting and a wholly implausible plotline.
DVD Extras: Cast interviews, a trailer, and the option of audio commentary from Mr Vinterberg.
It's Got: Penn, Danes and Phoenix back together again for the first time since 1997's 'U Turn'.
It Needs: Lead characters bright enough to consider actually taking some warm clothes and supplies with them when they fleeing across a frozen wasteland.
Alternatives: Code 46
Summary: Encroaching ice age or not, this one's best left out in the cold.
Review by Gary Panton
Review Date: 11th August 2004
External Links
Official Web Site
It's All About Love at the IMDB
Comments5 Comments |
| I thought that the film was visually beautiful and inspiring, and the topic was indeed 'all about love'. I feel that the overriding theme of love (or more the lack of it) in the post-modern world, inspires viewers to take note of the state of the world without the stark over-dramatization of films such as'The Day after Tommorow'. We are able to engage with a world that is evolving in a loveless, solidarity society. The fact that people are dying on the streets due to a broken heart should surely highlight the 'love' aspect throughout the film. Yes, the accent from both Danes and Pheonix could be more believable but their acting as always is excellent. Rarely do i see such an imaginative story line which leaves my mind curious and impressed for longer than the lenght of the film. Open your mind, and enjoy! |
| Comment by:- jillian Cairns | | 29 September 2004 | ip: logged |
| I quite agree with Jillian..The movie is inspiring..eventhough i need sometime to digest the real meaning of the movie..But actually the movie itself is full of symbols..The cold temperature and freezing water symbolize how the world become such an emotionless,loveless place..Everybody seems doesn't care with each other anymore, human becomes ruthless and coldblooded (by creating clones to replace elena,just to have the ice business keep on running). Even maybe the writer elaborate the meanings in a bit extreme, but we should not rationalize everything we see..We should really open our mind and see the real essence..That actually, love is everthing u need to stay alive and be happy..Cause It's all about love... People who dont enjoy this movie probably have certain expectation before watching.May be they expect the movie to be just a simple love story and romantic..Well, the movie is certainly not simple, but it absolutely have deeply beautiful essence... |
| Comment by:- Nashatra Prita | | 03 October 2004 | ip: logged |
| As Nasha said, this movie itself is full of symbols... perhaps I can guess the meaning of several symbols. But would someone tell me what the flying africans were all about? |
| Comment by:- Rully Ferdiansyah | | 22 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| Yes I so completely didnt understand the flying Africans. I can appreciate the film on a artistic level. The whole post-apocalyptic factors as well as the dryness of love and human emotion. I just cant help but think there were a few holes in the storyline here and there. As Claire Danes said in the Features interview, there is a lot left for the audience to decide. Someone please tell me how they just appeared in the snow? I understand the climatic changes etc. But from city to zero level human existance? They took a plane to nowhere? Someone please illuminate me. The FLying Africans... supposedly the world is covered with snow, though there are African people seemingly dangling onto black ropes / rods in a dry hot snowless climate? |
| Comment by:- Katie Bee | | 29 December 2004 | ip: logged |
| Well, sure it's nice to see an "artistic" piece of film, but basics like a coherent plotline, consitent characters, and a basic explaination of who and where and why cannot be ignored. The sole purpose of film, books, etc is to tell a story. There was no story here, just a jumble of mixed stories that didn't mess. This story had potential. There was intrigue and suspense, and you wanted to keep watching, but any hopes of finding out what was going on were constantly thrown to the wayside, and by the end of the movie there only remained disappointment. |
| Comment by:- Ben | | 26 October 2005 | ip: logged |
