5.3 days (or 127 hours)

Went to see a movie in the theater today! 

127 Hours (2010)

I quite enjoyed this one.  For a movie that is primarily a one-man show, it was captivating and affecting.  Going into it I knew that Aron Ralston (the real life person portrayed by James Franco) cuts off his arm.  I wouldn’t have thought to call it “surgery” per se but I imagine the theater was challenged to think of what to say exactly (this was the sign on the box office today):

So, where to start…the movie is based on a book written by Ralston about his actual experience being pinned by a huge boulder and having to free himself by amputating his own arm – Between a Rock and a Hard Place.  The director, Danny Boyle (director of Trainspotting, 28 Days Later, and – of course – Slumdog Millionaire), handled the translation from book to movie quite well.  Going in I thought it might have a Touching the Void feel but it didn’t at all.  The first quarter of the film was pre-rock fall and was obviously meant to show what a lively, vivacious life Ralston has and juxtapose that exuberance with a grave situation. I liked the way that bit was filmed – very energetic. 

The rest of the movie was basically Franco stuck with the rock in a canyon in Utah, which brings me to Franco’s performance.  From a Fresh Air interview (or it might have been the Colorado Matters interview), I learned that Ralston was a participant in the filming and he allowed Franco to see the video he took during the situation.  In the movie, Franco talks to the video camera and occasionally screams and yells but there was no voiceover/internal dialogue.  This was not a problem because from his expressions, even silently, Franco conveyed everything.

I covered my ears during the part that showed him cutting off his arm.  I had been tipped off by the Slate Culture Gabfest discussion of the movie (the “Farewell to Arms” edition) that the sounds were almost worse than seeing it.  I didn’t actually watch that much of it either.  The parts I did see were pretty gory.

Anyway, see it!