'127 Hours' A Review

For the most part I don't like it when movies have 'Oscar buzz' before they even come out. That being said I really enjoyed this movie. James Franco plays a real life hiker who falls in a canyon and gets his hand trapped by a boulder. The majority of the movie takes place with Franco stationary, pinned, dealing with/brainstorming-ways-out-of his predicament.

(Spoilers)

At times the movie can feel a little claustrophobic because, as an audience member, you're just as much trapped as Franco is. There are only two cut aways from Franco while he's trapped, both are brief and both just pan out to give perspective about how alone he is geographically. The worst parts for me were the times when he was tugging on his arm which was pinned. One of my favorite shows is 'House' and even the procedural stuff in that is tough to take for me sometimes so all his arm stuff was difficult for me to watch.

The movie, unsurprisingly, hinges on Franco's performance. He's totally mesmerizing to watch, partly because the majority of the shots are right in his face so we pick up/are privy to the smallest things that he does and partly because it seems as if he's talking directly to us. He plays the character with humor and an overpowering zest for life. The beginning sequence of the film is his journey out to the canyon which has so much energy and fun-loving spirit you almost dread what you know is coming because you almost want to just watch a film where James Franco has fun.

The enjoyable parts aren't what he does in the situation(for example drink his own urine, woof) but how he reacts to it and what he says. He repeatedly tells his parents he loves them(he has a video camera that he records messages on), he apologizes for not being more responsible, he reminisces about his ex-girlfriend, he chastises himself for his arrogance. And all through out he keeps a sense of humor and a humble spirit for the small things. Favorite scene-

After the second day Franco starts to hallucinate. At one point Franco does this 'talk show' bit where he's interviewing himself about how he put himself in such a bad position i.e. no one knowing where he was going. It's funny and sweet and self-deprecating. It provides some much needed levity and the realization that Franco is totally self aware about who is responsible for the mess. Him. After watching 'High Fidelity' ten years ago a high school friend of mine said "If it wasn't John Cusack it'd be too much John Cusack." Thats how I feel about James Franco in '127 Hours.' The casting was perfect, you had to get an actor who was serious but also had a humorous spirit. You put someone too serious in that roll and the experience would be unbearable.

Franco eventually frees himself by cutting off his own arm. That scene went on a little too long. He binds up his wound and prepares to leave. There's a shot where he walks away, looks back and says "Thank You." You don't know if he's talking to God or the boulder. There's an amazing sequence when he's hallucinating where he says my favorite line of the film.

"That rock has been waiting for me my whole life."