The true story of Aron Ralston, a mountain climber who
became trapped when his arm got pinned under a boulder BIOPIC/DRAMA
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127 Hours (2010)Directed by Danny Boyle
Written by Danny Boyle and Simon Beaufoy Starring James Franco, Kate Mara, Amber Tamblyn, Clémence Poésy, Treat Williams, Kate Burton Based on the book Between a Rock and a Hard Place by Aron Ralston Oscar Nominations - Best Picture, Best Actor (James Franco), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Film Editing, Best Original Score (A.R. Rahman), Best Original Song (If I Rise) |
127 Hours is remembered as the movie where James Franco cuts off his own arm. And yeah, that's totally justified. It's something we all knew would happen going in, but the film is so much more than just that. It's a film about the enduring strength of human survival, and how important it is to always tell at least one other person where you're going. You never know when shit like this can go down, and you end up stranded miles away from anyone who can help. It's pretty amazing that Danny Boyle was able to stretch this into an hour and a half movie, and that the movie would be entertaining.
Franco plays Aron Ralston, a hiking enthusiast who ends up trapped in a canyon when a boulder dislodges and pins his arm. This really happened to Ralston, and the film is based on his actual video diaries that he kept during the incident. Throughout the film, we watch Ralston struggle to stay optimistic, as he realizes his arm is dead either way, he runs out of water, and he begins to go delirious. And of course, the scene this film is remembered for is no slouch. It's a grisly bit of horror that closes out this survival drama. 127 Hours is a good watch, mainly for Franco's upbeat but cautious performance of a man on the verge of losing hope. Danny Boyle is one of my favorite directors because of the variety of his films, from Trainspotting to Slumdog Millionaire to 127 Hours. He's a storyteller at heart, and he manages to turn what could've been a gross short film into a movie with a good message. |