An Overlooked Masterpiece
"The Air I Breathe" is perhaps one of the most tragically overlooked films of 2007.An ensemble cast featuring Brendan Fraser, Julie Delpy, Andy Garcia, Forest Whitaker and Sarah Michelle Gellar, among many others, is brought together perfectly in this study of the Six Degrees of Separation by relatively fresh director Jieho Lee.
The story, which is apparently based upon an old Chinese proverb, unfolds in four acts, titled Happiness, Pleasure, Sorrow and Love. Each of the acts focuses on a character representative of the suggested emotion, with Whitaker's Happiness and Fraser's Pleasure standing out as the strongest among a plethora of powerhouse performances.
Like other ensemble dramas -- smash hit and Oscar winner Crash (2005) comes to mind -- the film weaves a tapestry with its players, connecting them all to one-another in ways which may seem unimaginable at the start, but wholly believable and even touching come the film's stunning conclusion.
The film has it all, much akin to the proverb it seeks to replicate. I would recommend that anyone who is looking for a night of quality entertainment consider picking this one up.
score 10/10
Crannicus_Maximus 7 May 2009
Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw2063178/35376
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