Product Details

• Language: English
• Subtitles: French, Spanish
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Average Customer Review: 2.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (48 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 0783299400
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #576,843 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Joaquin Phoenix, Claire Danes, and a startlingly coiffured Sean Penn topline this visually striking hybrid of science fiction and art-house drama from Dogme 95 co-creator Thomas Vinterberg (The Celebration). Phoenix and Danes are a recently separated Polish couple in the year 2021 who find their marital troubles overshadowed by a spate of strange and ominous phenomena plaguing the Earth–-people mysteriously drop dead in their tracks, cold snaps threaten a new Ice Age, and in Uganda, citizens must anchor themselves to the ground or risk sailing off into space. Add to this confluence of oddities a subplot involving clones of Danes, a murder plot hatched by her brother, and Penn as Phoenix's eccentric sibling who periodically weighs in from a plane, and you've got an occasionally impenetrable (and not particularly romantic) picture that may baffle fans of the stars' Hollywood efforts. However, the cinematography by Anthony Dod Mantle is beautiful, and those inclined towards more eclectic movie consumption might find some chilly treats to chew on here. --Paul Gaita

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful, Unique, Misunderstood Film, March 8, 2006

By 

Lostgirl - See all my reviews

This review is from: It's All About Love (DVD)

It's All About Love has been criminally underrated. It's been called confused, convoluted, and pretentious. Well let's try another adjective: different. This is not the same kind of thing we've seen a million times before. In fact it seems to defy genre pigeon-holing.

Thomas Vinterberg, co-founder of the Dogma 95 moment towards "purity" in cinema made the excellent "Festen" and then took his craft to the other extreme with this futuristic fable. Set in a near future where the earth is on the brink of a new ice age the film tells the story of a Polish professor, John and his wife Elena plan to divorce. The couple have grown apart due to Elena's demanding schedule (she's a champion figure-skater) but when John arrives in New York to sign the final divorce papers, Elena begs him not to leave, confessing that she's in a danger that she doesn't completely understand.

The plot that follows is twisting and at times intentionally absurd: People drop dead in the streets due to a mysterious heart ailment, in mid-july it starts to snow all over the world, a man once afraid of flying overdoses on his medication and is now afriad to land, and as everything people think they understand is turned upside-down it's impossible to know who to trust.

But to view this film you have to put aside conventional notions of narrative structure or how a plot should unfold. Viewing this film is very much like participating in a dream. You have to go where it takes you- even if that's somewhere unusual.

Each shot in this movie is beautifully photographed channeling Hitchcock visually. Every thought in Joaquin Phoenix's head seems to appear on his face, while Claire Danes deftly channels a Hitchcock blonde. Alun Armstong and Sean Penn excel in smaller roles.

When I first saw this I wasn't sure if I liked it. But I found myself thinking about it a lot in the days following. On second viewing I think I understood it better. But it's not a film that's meant to be understood so much as experienced. I've "understood" it differently each time I've watched. I would recommend this film to anyone who is open to the experience.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars But Director of Photography Should Get 5 Stars, July 18, 2005

By 

Sarah "Lemon Lady Records" (Houston, TX, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: It's All About Love [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.4 Import - Australia ] (DVD)

And I can't quit watching it. I recorded it on DVR from cable in the US. I thought that Joaquin was terrible the first time I saw it, after being such a fan of his from Quills and Gladiator and other movies I've seen of his (and both of those have heavy accents, so what give with him?). But in subsequent watchings, as I often do, I think I finally get it. It is not too meaty of a part and he is trying to play kind of an ordinary guy to his skating star wife. Reminds me of Tom Cruise in Eyes Wide Shut, the nerdy doctor. Claire Danes, on the other hand, is outstanding. She reminds me a lot of Franka Potente (Blow, All I Want, Run Lola Run). I watched her TV series long ago and liked her but she has grown into an amazing actress. They both had a little accent problem. They were supposed to be Polish and I kept telling myself that Joaquin was brought to the US as a baby (I'm *really* trying to like him). Claire has her moments when she reverts to American, but does a much better job. Sean Penn's accent is over the top, completely (but he makes a good Greek Chorus). I am surprised at him as he is usually so prepared. I have to blame the director for this, for there is a thread of the actors not caring, just going through the motions (except Claire). It is set 20 years in the future and very plausible (except I hope the concept of cell phones changes!) and where the gravity holes in Africa show up is anyone's guess. But the basic plot is pretty cool. I am a figure skater and they got it right, mostly. I could tell the skating doubles were not world class skters, but most people wouldn't and the choreography was very nice. I really like the premise that if people are lonely or lovelorn, something goes to their hearts and they die, and I think a lot of people would relate to that. I have watched it about 5 times now but I think it would have a specialized audience which is why I give it a '3'. Don't buy this for your kids for the skating as it is very violent in the rink.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable, entertaining and thought provoking..., May 3, 2006

By 

K. Carter - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: It's All About Love (DVD)

What can I say? Joaquin Phoenix is a great actor. His ability to take any script (no matter, how bad) and create a memorable performance exceeds the abilities of most actors in his age range and beyond. I imagine some of the negative criticism of this film is based on the fact that the viewer has got to be engaged while watching this film. It's All About Love, is not a movie that you can watch while cleaning the house or building a model airplane. You have to 'watch' the movie or you will be lost.