Across the Universe
Columbia Pictures | Release Date: September 14, 2007
7.3
USER SCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 273 Ratings
USER RATING DISTRIBUTION
Positive:
189
Mixed:
38
Negative:
46
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3
GregP.Feb 20, 2008
What the movie suffered from most was neither the weak treatment of 60's culture nor the poor tribute to the Beatles. What it suffered most from was the nagging sensation that almost every named character and almost every scene was a What the movie suffered from most was neither the weak treatment of 60's culture nor the poor tribute to the Beatles. What it suffered most from was the nagging sensation that almost every named character and almost every scene was a mere contrivance to "force" a scene out of a particular set of lyrics. For those who have seen the movie, the absolutely pasted-on "Dear Prudence" (not to mention the namesake character herself) scene is made bearable only by comparison to the absolute nonsense that was "Strawberry Fields Forever." The events leading up to and surrounding such scenes are such a cobbled-together mess of an excuse that the movie becomes absolutely painful.… Expand
2 of 2 users found this helpful
1
RobinB.Feb 7, 2008
Warning to anyone with sentiment for the Beatles music: this movie metaphorically defecates on the Lennon memorial. I felt like an Orthodox Catholic watching Jesus Christ Superstar. What'll Taymor do next? Heart Shaped Box: the musical Warning to anyone with sentiment for the Beatles music: this movie metaphorically defecates on the Lennon memorial. I felt like an Orthodox Catholic watching Jesus Christ Superstar. What'll Taymor do next? Heart Shaped Box: the musical of Kurt Cobain.… Expand
1 of 1 users found this helpful
1
MattP.Sep 17, 2007
Aside from the fact that this movie isn't totally broken, it's totally insulting. I love the Beatles, but Taymor makes them her bitch and uses songs that were once important as nothing more than mouthpeices for her characters. Aside from the fact that this movie isn't totally broken, it's totally insulting. I love the Beatles, but Taymor makes them her bitch and uses songs that were once important as nothing more than mouthpeices for her characters. Terrible, heart ripping movie that will kill any real Beatles fan that understands that their music is for the fans, not for a hack filmmaker.… Expand
1 of 1 users found this helpful
2
Jovial_BisonDec 1, 2010
The film ultimately comes across as one mega-gimmick. This is a musical that does not use the soundtrack to enhance the plot and character development like most musicals. Rather the plot is used as a clumsy device to shoot from one song orThe film ultimately comes across as one mega-gimmick. This is a musical that does not use the soundtrack to enhance the plot and character development like most musicals. Rather the plot is used as a clumsy device to shoot from one song or reference to the other, often inexplicably. For instance, the female lead is named Lucy, solely for the purpose of playing "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds" which ends up seeming nonsensical in the greater context of the film; the pinnacle of this is the director's interpretation of "Dear Prudence," which features the group singing the lyrics "Dear Prudence, won't you come out to play?" to a secondary character named none other than... Prudence who has locked herself in a closet in a fit of teen angst. It could be argued that the scene contains a deeper meaning in that Prudence is revealed to be a lesbian (not coincidentally in a scene that makes no sense in the larger scope of the narrative) and that this is the group urging her to "be herself," this however is ultimately lost in the almost comical absurdity of the scene. Situations such as this present themselves often in ACROSS THE UNIVERSE, and I couldn't help but feel that during every single musical selection or reference to THE BEATLES or their work that the movie itself was nudging me with its elbow, constantly asking if I got what it did there. The end result is a musical that is hindered by its use of soundtrack as opposed to being aided by it and thinks far too highly of itself in the process.

Pros: There's some pretty things to look at.
Cons: Plot? who needs plot when you have a soundtrack.… Expand
1 of 1 users found this helpful10
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3
moviegrabbagFeb 7, 2012
I love the Beatles but this movie is just horrible. It's horribly pretentious and is very forced. There are characters thrown in just for the sake of some how tying in another song. The only positives this movie has is the music, but I canI love the Beatles but this movie is just horrible. It's horribly pretentious and is very forced. There are characters thrown in just for the sake of some how tying in another song. The only positives this movie has is the music, but I can get that on my Ipod with out all the needless crap. The other positive is there is some very good cinematography but the vast majority of it was in the trailer. The think that irritated me most was the worthless cameos by Bono and Eddie Izzard. They were un-needed and a waste of their talent. Go out and buy a Beatles album and avoid this movie.… Expand
1 of 1 users found this helpful10
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2
JamesCJan 6, 2008
Abortive is the key word here. The movie introduces a bunch of archetypal characters, which are quickly ushered out after some awkward attempts at relevance. After a bit, we're left with the two main characters and a boring, Abortive is the key word here. The movie introduces a bunch of archetypal characters, which are quickly ushered out after some awkward attempts at relevance. After a bit, we're left with the two main characters and a boring, unconvincing, love story that's strictly by-the-numbers. Even the music, surprisingly, is mediocre.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
2
LuisG.Feb 20, 2008
heres a film that you hate yourself for not liking.... Taymor brilliance is lost and reserved for elaborate montages and eccentric scenery that just does not counterbalance a weak story ... lost in translation... musical numbers don't heres a film that you hate yourself for not liking.... Taymor brilliance is lost and reserved for elaborate montages and eccentric scenery that just does not counterbalance a weak story ... lost in translation... musical numbers don't arise with grace they seem forced and heavily drawn out and dependent on its flare .. characters have no soul and aside form prudence no one else takes center stage... total disappointment... FRIDA !!! remember that was beautiful… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
3
JohnB.Oct 19, 2007
Across the Universe is definitely an ambitious movie full of ideas however many of the ideas lack a real sense of place and purpose. Pieces seemed to have been thrown in here and there if only to get us more Beatles songs, which were, by the Across the Universe is definitely an ambitious movie full of ideas however many of the ideas lack a real sense of place and purpose. Pieces seemed to have been thrown in here and there if only to get us more Beatles songs, which were, by the way, butchered beyond credibility. This is a direct result of the difficult concept attempted and lack of solid direction. The movie ended up being extremely cliche and incoherent.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
2
RichardMOct 6, 2007
Back Broadway's brighter days, a musical that never took flight was known as a "turkey." Throw in some stuffing and some gravy and "Across the Universe" would feed a family of ten at Thanksgiving. Pretentious and plodding and, Back Broadway's brighter days, a musical that never took flight was known as a "turkey." Throw in some stuffing and some gravy and "Across the Universe" would feed a family of ten at Thanksgiving. Pretentious and plodding and, ultimately, just a waste of time, money and talent. Handsome performers with pretty little pop voices are everywhere but there's naught but the thinnest little story on which songs and fragments-of-songs hang. What's supposed to be "cool" and "stylized" has all been done before (see Milos Forman's "Hair" and Ken Russell's "Tommy").… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
0
JimS.Sep 14, 2007
The Beatles are the most over rated rock band in the world. Their music is terrible and makes an excellent match for this craptacular film.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
1
Franty1977Jan 2, 2008
Julie Taymor woke up one day and thought to herself: "Why don't I take a load of beatles songs and turn it into a crappy high-school musical-like Disney movie"? And here it is: terribly acted, poorly written and with the worst singing Julie Taymor woke up one day and thought to herself: "Why don't I take a load of beatles songs and turn it into a crappy high-school musical-like Disney movie"? And here it is: terribly acted, poorly written and with the worst singing voices that movie fans heard in the past 10 years. the reason i'm not giving it a zero is the bad teeth joke. that was funny, but almost nobody noticed.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
2
ChrisS.Feb 15, 2008
If you're in the mood to sit through two hours of non-stop singing, then this is the right movie for you. Song, after song, after song, every musical number in this film seems to be have crammed in. This is one of those movies in which If you're in the mood to sit through two hours of non-stop singing, then this is the right movie for you. Song, after song, after song, every musical number in this film seems to be have crammed in. This is one of those movies in which you can only see once. Although some covers of the Beatles songs are quite enjoyable, most of the over-thirty songs in this film are cut short.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
1
MarkGFeb 16, 2008
Imagine the post-teen stars of the WB singing the Beatles! Sound good to you? Then you'll love this movie. There's maybe 10 minutes of good sequences, though, which saves it from a 0. Bono lends the film some much-needed weird Imagine the post-teen stars of the WB singing the Beatles! Sound good to you? Then you'll love this movie. There's maybe 10 minutes of good sequences, though, which saves it from a 0. Bono lends the film some much-needed weird energy. And it is interesting to hear Beatles songs re-set; they deserve to be, because they hold up so well. But it is horrible to see them re-set to a trite, thin story which somehow manages to thoroughly trivialize the Vietnam War, the Civil Rights movement, and the creative magic of the Beatles' music. It is as if the worst of the Baby Boomer cliches have been given hipper haircuts in an extended iPod commercial. This movie is godawful, but not even "interesting-bad." Just bad.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
0
ReelWorldMar 4, 2008
Turned it off after the little Asian lesbo started singing about the blonde cheerleader. Absolute trash. Anyone who can recall listening to the Beatles when they were kids on LP should avoid this film like the plague. This is what HSM would Turned it off after the little Asian lesbo started singing about the blonde cheerleader. Absolute trash. Anyone who can recall listening to the Beatles when they were kids on LP should avoid this film like the plague. This is what HSM would be without a Disney sponsor.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
0
POOct 15, 2007
This movie was the biggest waste of money ever. The writer must have been high on something more than caffeine. The movie was so random it was scary. I have now found my worst movie of all time.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
2
TerryA.Sep 19, 2007
Contrived, shallow, and the worst cinematic use of good music ever... someones definitely dropping acid if this is their impression of the 60's.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
1
NancyJ.Sep 22, 2007
I kept thinking this would get better. It didn't. I went because I'm a big fan of Julie Taymor. Someone should have held her genius feet to the fire on this one, though. This is embarrassing..to watch, to listen to, to think money I kept thinking this would get better. It didn't. I went because I'm a big fan of Julie Taymor. Someone should have held her genius feet to the fire on this one, though. This is embarrassing..to watch, to listen to, to think money had been spent to make this enlarged Coke commercial.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
2
JohnS.Jan 19, 2008
The sensation after watching this movie is akin to being run over by a bus and then it backed up and ran over you again. This movies utterly predictable and quite frankly at time a bit irritable. If there ever was a case of a musical having The sensation after watching this movie is akin to being run over by a bus and then it backed up and ran over you again. This movies utterly predictable and quite frankly at time a bit irritable. If there ever was a case of a musical having too many songs, it was this one. By 3rd song, one is praying that the power just cuts out. If there is one star in this movie its Jim Sturgess who plays Jude. Managing to somewhat carry the viewer along with him, he's possibly the only good thing to come out of this movie Overall, this movie represents a bad acid trip.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
1
JadeBFeb 15, 2008
What a horrid movie. Its like a nonstop interwoven Christian rock video. I could see if you were 50 something and really out of touch and were a hippy for one summer before you went to college and got a job that just maybe you might get What a horrid movie. Its like a nonstop interwoven Christian rock video. I could see if you were 50 something and really out of touch and were a hippy for one summer before you went to college and got a job that just maybe you might get sentimental and actually fall for this dreck but come on! Theres not even any Beatles songs in it!!! Yes there are people singing Beatles songs... but they nor this film doesn't even come close to a smidgen of creative force that was and is the Beatles. The only good scene was Eddie Izzard doing Tim Leary, that was good! Bloated Bono doing Kesey and the Merry Pranksters... wow that was embarrassing. Horrible movie.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
1
JeremyMar 3, 2008
Everything was so forced and put on, the film was nearly impossible to watch. Oh, and the music...well, if you like good music then this film is not for you. If you like very sappy, ridiculous, embarrassingly awful renditions of some of the Everything was so forced and put on, the film was nearly impossible to watch. Oh, and the music...well, if you like good music then this film is not for you. If you like very sappy, ridiculous, embarrassingly awful renditions of some of the best songs ever written, then this film is for you. I don't like to be so harsh, but this movie did nothing but piss me off. Every time they seemed like they were going to do something worth watching, somebody would start singing and would bury my head and pray for it to be over. Avoid at all costs.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
0
BaronSaturdayApr 18, 2008
Wow the 60s! It's exactly as everyone said it was. I mean exactly: Vietnam, protest, drugs, sex. But watered down from Hair, the musical it copies. There is nothing original or thought provoking here at all. Just a bunch of tired Wow the 60s! It's exactly as everyone said it was. I mean exactly: Vietnam, protest, drugs, sex. But watered down from Hair, the musical it copies. There is nothing original or thought provoking here at all. Just a bunch of tired cliches. Poor Beatles songs!… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
0
VivianL.Jun 6, 2008
Really bad Beatles karaoke movie with possibly the flimsiest plot and characters i have ever seen.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
3
KayteM.Nov 16, 2007
This looks like, and has about as much depth as, a (bad) film-school music-video. It lacks depth and heart, and tries so hard to fit Beatles lyrics in as dialogue that everything comes across as stilted and painful. Bono's cameo is This looks like, and has about as much depth as, a (bad) film-school music-video. It lacks depth and heart, and tries so hard to fit Beatles lyrics in as dialogue that everything comes across as stilted and painful. Bono's cameo is almost unbearably dreadful. The three rating is given only because hey, it's the Beatles, and it does have its (very occasional) moments of being actually quite visuall arresting, and Jim Sturgess is, quite surprisingly, a pleasure to watch. Otherwise, to be avoided/to be run away from.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
1
AlanG.Sep 14, 2007
If you grew up with the Beatles in the 60's and understood the times as one who actually lived in it, you may find this movie utter drival. I'm sorry, but whoever wrote this movie doesn't have a clue. Yes, some nice visuals, If you grew up with the Beatles in the 60's and understood the times as one who actually lived in it, you may find this movie utter drival. I'm sorry, but whoever wrote this movie doesn't have a clue. Yes, some nice visuals, but just too hokey and out of date.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
2
KenW.Sep 19, 2007
Astonishingly misconceived. The arrangements are awful, the plot is non-existent, the actors are asleep and the vision of the sixties seems to be derived from - to rob a Simpsons gag - Bob Hope parodies of that decade. I am ASTONISHED the Astonishingly misconceived. The arrangements are awful, the plot is non-existent, the actors are asleep and the vision of the sixties seems to be derived from - to rob a Simpsons gag - Bob Hope parodies of that decade. I am ASTONISHED the critics have been so tolerant.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
2
JimmyJamJan 16, 2008
Just got back from seeing this, with a totally open mind. What a horrible, insufferable film, what a cheesy embarrassment. Definitely in the Top Ten of the Worst Movies I've Ever Seen. And I love musicals.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
1
RaquelPJan 31, 2008
Its such a travesty trying to cram 33 of the Beatles
0 of 0 users found this helpful
2
AaronMJul 29, 2008
It's easy to tell that the only purpose of the "movie" is to play as many songs as possible. The storyline played out like... well, a terrible movie. I give it a 2 because the Beatles have some good songs, although some are butchered in It's easy to tell that the only purpose of the "movie" is to play as many songs as possible. The storyline played out like... well, a terrible movie. I give it a 2 because the Beatles have some good songs, although some are butchered in this 2 hour music video.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
1
HazzaB.Nov 17, 2007
I will review only the first 20 minutes, as this is all I could bear before I slunk down my seat and crawled out of the movie theater in sheer embarrassment. It is a musical, and an awful one at that. Wielding it's cutesy cleaver, and I will review only the first 20 minutes, as this is all I could bear before I slunk down my seat and crawled out of the movie theater in sheer embarrassment. It is a musical, and an awful one at that. Wielding it's cutesy cleaver, and butchering Beatles classics as it went. The dialogue and characterisation was wooden, and the portrayal of the 60's drew on the most simplistic cliches. Why don't you just take the entire back catalogue of the World's greatest band, and let the preliminary contestants of Amercian Idol massacre insteadl? At least this kind of sacrilege will by vaguely funny.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
0
ShaneMDec 25, 2008
A thoroughly appalling, wasteful mess. The movie consists of a series of poorly executed, horribly arranged music videos connected by a shoe string plot and a cast of caricatures. One of the biggest movie disappointments I could ever imagine seeing.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
3
dopigsfly123Mar 16, 2011
Pretentious, self-indulgent, and pseudo-artsy. The story is boring and superficial, peppered with far too many attempts at "powerful" psychedelic imagery. The music is the only good thing about it.
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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2
JB_BeesMar 1, 2014
I'm late to the party, but this was straight up dong. The only redeeming quality about it was the music. I pledge no contest to how awesome the covers were. But when you take away the music, what we have here is a disorganized and sappy loveI'm late to the party, but this was straight up dong. The only redeeming quality about it was the music. I pledge no contest to how awesome the covers were. But when you take away the music, what we have here is a disorganized and sappy love story about an elated English boy who comes to America, falls in love with a shallow, superficial girl because of her looks. The plot requires they become a couple but it turns out they are not compatible at all. Jude is an artist and is logical, passive, and enjoys the natural things in life. Lucy is an activist, selfish, impressionable, loves adoration, naive, and judges others. She berates Jude for his beliefs and his lifestyle choices when he chooses not to involve himself with the protest. The film poorly uses 60's era issues like Vietnam to test their relationship. Anyway she fails at life and gets herself involved with the wrong people. He comes to her rescue and gets deported. He then somehow is allowed back into America the very next day and apologizes to her through 'All You Need Is Love.' And we see the whole cast doing this except Lucy. She was seen wandering the street at the end not giving a **** about anyone until she hears a song praising her. The **** sang about how special she was because her boyfriend went to die in Vietnam for her. I kept yelling at the TV "SHE WAS IN THE WRONG! WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?!"

'All You Need Is Love' was a good closure song, But Jude is apparently the one in the wrong in the end? He has to be the one burdened to make things right again? It should be her blonde ass on a rooftop singing about wanting love and acceptance from Jude and her friends (whom she didn't interact with the entire film). And the other characters? Nothing. Not a damn thing. Prudence being an introverted, in-the-closet, lesbian with burgeoning desires she can't act on? No closure given there. They just needed a girl named Prudence in the story because a Beatles' song was about a girl named Prudence. Or how about the black guy? He was a member of a generation victimized by racial prejudice and nothing else was mentioned about him. The thought process with putting him the movie was: "Well there was racial intolerance issues in that era, so we should have one scene about that, and a black main cast member too." Christ.

There was no depth or genuine feeling to the characters, theme, or scenery. When we weren't focusing on Jude, who turned out to be spineless beta-orbiter in love and Scumbag Stacey Lucy, the other characters task in this story was to do things people did in the 60's to give us this feeling that film was deep. The musical numbers have no relevance to anything. In one scene the gang decide to go to New York where they encounter Bono who performs 'I am the Walrus.' Bear in mind Bono did not play a character in the movie, Bono was being Bono. The scene was done for the sole purpose of Bono making an appearance and singing a Beatles' song.

I'm done wasting energy commenting on this work. If I had a choice to watch this or shiv myself in the face, I'd take the latter.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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0
FilipeNetoMay 9, 2021
I'm not a Beatles fan, I never was and never will be. However, the impact they had on world music is undeniable, and it continues to this day, with influences on different singers and composers, from Pop universe to the most erudite authors.I'm not a Beatles fan, I never was and never will be. However, the impact they had on world music is undeniable, and it continues to this day, with influences on different singers and composers, from Pop universe to the most erudite authors. For a band that only lasted ten years, it is very significant. Therefore, this film will certainly be to the liking of the fans of the band, but I confess that, for me, it was not that interesting.

Let's start with the obvious: the film is a musical where the band's songs are the structural point. So far, so good. The problem is that everything revolves around the songs, including the script, which is an extraordinarily confusing romantic story between an American girl and a boy from Liverpool. From a certain point, it becomes evident that the film does not work and does not have a story to tell, and all of this is a mere excuse for a musical film that had the Beatles as its theme. And a movie, no matter how bad, has to have a story to tell, and that story has to justify the movie and its length. For the story told in this film, a short film of half an hour would be enough.

The cast has some well-known names, starting with Jim Sturgess, who brought with him a solid career made in British TV. The actor is good, and he works hard, making a good match with Evan Rachel Wood, who also does everything she can to improve the quality of the film. Unfortunately, they don't have the material to do much more than they did, and the supporting cast does nothing more than show up and sing when they need it. The characters are terrible, boring and one-dimensional.

Technically, it is an animated, vibrant, colorful and cheerful film, and this will surely attract the audience. Visually, it's a pleasant film, with cinematography full of bright colors and light, and a solid and consistent film work. The sets and costumes fulfill their role. Being a musical film, songs and choreography are essential but even that didn't go well: the Beatles' songs, sung almost in a religious, formal way, without great emotion or commitment from the singers, are accompanied by a set of choreographies that have nothing special or cinematic, seeming more thought for the TV than for the big screen.… Expand
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