Six interconnected stories across space and time.Where the actions of an individual can shape the past, present and future. Through actions of kindness and brutality these will cause ripples over time. Starting with a sea journal in 1849; letters from a composer to his close friend; a thriller about a murdered nuclear scientist; a farce about a publisher wrongly placed in a nursing home; confessions of a clone who helped instigate an uprising; and a tale of a post apocalyptic tribe on Hawaii.
Review
Based on David Mitchell's 2004 book. This is an epic spanning a time line of about 500 years where "Everything is Connected." The connection can be in our genetics with the recurring "Comet" birthmark to our actions of doing the right or wrong thing. Everything we do has a causality in the past, present and future.
The film opens with Tom Hanks recounting a story around a fire in a timeless era. From here it a roller coaster of a film and follows a non linear story line jumping between the 6 stories. The connections of the past,present and future are through the characters actions and this is visually reinforced by the brave use of the same actors but in different time lines. Giving the film a karma like story and also hope. The genetic connection of nature is running though all the stories through the birthmark but we are not destined to repeat ourselves hopelessly through time but our actions can change our destiny. So a villain can become a hero.
Some remain the villains though out time especially with Hugo Weaving and Hugh Grant's characters whilst others are able to change.
Everyone in this film gives a great performance with Doona Bae doing a great job playing a clone/ fabricant and Ben Whishaw giving a very touching performance.
The futuristic aspects of the film worked best especially the scenes of Neo Seoul, the chase scenes through Neo Seoul and the post apocalyptic Hawaii part.
For light relief we have the story of the wrongly placed publisher in a nursing home or "The Ghastly Tale of Timothy Cavendish" with a great comedic turn from Jim Broadbent as the titular hero and an overbearing Hugo Weaving as Nurse Noakes. Although it is a light story, it is also a tale of oppression.
It is a long film at 174 mins but to cover 6 stories in so little time it does well. The film does stray a little from the book but 95% of it is in the film. As a non linear film anyone not familiar with the book may get lost and maybe it should have stayed true with the books story telling pattern. If it had done so this would have been an even longer film. For me the non linear story line works.
So many topics are covered in this film from oppression, slavery, love, reincarnation, destiny, music, death and philosophy.
Finally, the film ends with Tom Hanks finishing his story at the camp fire and ending on an optimistic note.
This is a brave, bold, ambitious and non linear film. It is not perfect but I prefer to see this type of film which tries to engage the audience rather than a paint by numbers film. I was enthralled with it and I may need to watch this again as I am sure I have missed small cameos and 'Easter' eggs of recurring themes buried in the film. This film is going to split people, you are either going to love it or hate it. Fortunately, I have read the book and for me I am in the 'Love It" camp.
9.5/10
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