21 Grams (2003)

A born again ex-convict Jack (Benicio del Torro) kills the husband of a recovering addict and suburban mom Cristina (Naomi Watts) in a hit and run accident. She donates her husband’s heart to a dying mathematician Paul (Sean Penn) and quicker than you can say “what the Hell?” their lives are intertwined and things begin to spin out of control.  The title of this skintense drama refers to the weight of the human soul.  Yep, it’s that kind of heavy story.  Jack wants to know where he got his heart, Cristina wants revenge on the man that killed her husband and Jack wants courage, or a brain or something, but this Oz doesn’t have wish granting wizard.  All the drama does get broken up with a little sadness infused sex between Paul and Cristina. It’s depressing, sorrow sex, the kind that is usually reserved for after a breakup or funeral.   It’s also disappointing that despite keeping himself in skintastic shape, Sean Penn doesn’t let us fully appreciate his physical talents very much.  We get some side shots of thigh and a hint of butt in some post-coital moments, but those darn sheets hide what could have been the actor’s second best performance in this film.