I spent the first twenty minutes or so of the picture trying to determine just how everyone was connected to one another. There is a lot of jumping around as the characters are introduced, and the first few songs seem like extended music videos rather than part of the storytelling, but it all comes together soon enough. Visually, this movie is stunning. The colors are rich, the settings are gorgeous, and the camera work is fantastic. There are a few scenes in the film that are, for lack of a better description, a little trippy, but they are definitely reflective of the time and the music, so it adds to the film rather than detracts from it.

The casting is spot on. There is not a single performance that lags behind or is in any way unconvincing. Evan Rachel Wood and Jim Sturgess have fantastic chemistry together, and amazing voices. I have to confess I actually bought the soundtrack before I saw the film because I loved the music so much, but seeing the songs performed is even better than listening to them. Seeing the music play out as part of the story adds to your understanding of the songs, as well as to their emotional impact.

As a movie, I don’t know if I can say that Across the Universe is the greatest thing ever, but as a showcase for the songs of the Beatles, and as a vehicle for musical performances, it is definitely something to see.