127 Hours

Based on a true story. That's a theme at the Oscars this year. Four of the ten best picture nominees, including both of the front runners and one of the two spoilers are based on a true story. The front runners are, of course, The King's Speech and The Social Network. The spoiler that I referred to is The Fighter. Finally we come to the fourth "Based on a True Story" film. 127 hours. If The Social Network was "the movie about Facebook", then 127 Hours was "the movie about the guy who cuts his arm off". You know going into the movie how it will end. How, you might ask, can any director tell an interesting story set mainly in one location when the pivotal ending is common knowledge? Like this.




            James Franco is Aron Ralston, an engineer and mountain climber. He goes on a trip to a Utah national park without telling anyone where he's going. As Ralston himself says, "Oops." He gets trapped by a boulder that pins his arm to the side of a canyon. He is far from where anyone might find him or hear him. Most of the rest of the movie takes place in this one location. His only companion is his portable video camera. I really can't describe much of what happens because it's really just a grueling journey in what it's like living for five days with little food and water and slowly loosing all hope of rescue or survival. The only bit I will mention is featured prominently in the trailer. Ralston wakes up one morning and narrates a sort of skit in which he is the host of a morning show and also the guest. It's a prime example of black humour at it's absolute funniest and you shouldn't be ashamed to laugh.
           This film picks us apart slowly. It drives us down, makes us lose hope. It makes us jump and squirm when the amputation begins, especially when he's severing those guitar string like tendons. It makes us cheer and feel alive when he survives at the end, even when we knew what would happen all along. If the Academy had to pick one of the three nominated films that are true stories about overcoming something, then forget the formulaic King's Speech. Brush past the excellent-but-it's-been-done-before Fighter. Pick 127 Hours because it plays us like a musical instrument while still taking chances and striving to be a perfect film in a way The King's Speech never did.

4/4 stars

Alex