They say we all lose 21 grams
at the exact moment of our death... everyone. The weight of a
stack of nickels. The weight of a chocolate bar. The weight of
a hummingbird...
College professor Paul Rivers and his wife Mary find their union
precariously balanced between life and death. He is mortally ill
and awaiting a heart transplant, while she hopes to become pregnant
with his child through artificial insemination. Cristina Peck,
having matured since her reckless past, is a beloved older sister
to Claudia, a good wife to Michael and loving mother to two little
girls. Her family radiates hope and joy. Much farther down the
socioeconomic scale, ex-con Jack Jordan and his wife Marianne
struggle to provide for their two children while Jack reaffirms
his commitment to religion.
A
tragic accident that claims several lives places these couples
in each other's orbit. In the aftermath, Paul confronts his own
mortality, Cristina takes action to come to terms with her present
and perhaps her future, and Jack's faith is put to the test. If
spiritual equilibrium is to be regained by any one of them, it
could come at great cost to the others. Yet the will to live,
and the instinct to reach out to another person for support, remains
ever-present among them all.
Sean Penn
.... Paul Rivers
Naomi Watts .... Cristina Peck
Benicio Del Toro .... Jack Jordan
Charlotte Gainsbourg .... Mary Rivers
Melissa Leo .... Marianne Jordan
Clea DuVall .... Claudia
Danny Huston .... Michael
Carly Nahon .... Cathy
Written
by:
Guillermo Arriaga (story) and
Alejandro González Iñárritu
