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Product Description: In this powerful film four very different people on the edge of desperation are unexpectedly linked by their destinies. A top-notch cast featuring Forest Whitaker Andy Garcia Kevin Bacon Brendan Fraser Sarah Michelle Gellar and Emile Hirsch unforgettably brings to life the stories of a clairvoyant gangster a rising pop star an unlikely bank robber and a doctor desperate to save the love of his life. Filled with surprising twists and turns this suspenseful action-filled drama employs both brutal violence and aching poetry in a moving exploration of the search for happiness in a gritty urban world.System Requirements:Running Time: 95 minutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: DRAMA/PSYCHOLOGICAL DRAMA Rating: R UPC: 014381493924 Manufacturer No: TF4939DVD Amazon.com: Every so often a crime drama with delusions of existential grandeur comes ambling down the pike. Sometimes, as in Tom Tykwer's Run Lola Run, a philosophically-inclined filmmaker strikes cinematic gold. If video director Jieho Lee's erratic debut falls short of that estimable mark, he can't be faulted for lack of ambition. Set in an anonymous urban metropolis and divided into the four pillars of life--happiness, pleasure, sorrow, and love--The Air I Breathe means to illustrate Henry Ward Beecher's opening epigram: "No emotion, anymore than a wave, can long retain its own individual form." A mild-mannered stockbroker representing happiness (The Last King of Scotland's Forest Whitaker) kickstarts this disquisition into destiny when he decides to take a risk (all four principals are unnamed). Inspired by a coolly confident client who stands for pleasure (Brendan Fraser), he places an unwieldy bet on a fixed race, attracting the attention of sadistic loan shark Fingers (Andy Garcia, doing his best Al Pacino impression). Fraser's character reports to the latter, who manages sorrowful pop star "Trista" (Sarah Michelle Gellar, last seen in the equally strange Southland Tales). The psychic henchman also looks after his employer's motormouth nephew, Tony (an uncharacteristically unconvincing Emile Hirsch). The lovelorn doctor (Kevin Bacon) who treats the hitman after an injury turns to Trista when his best friend's wife (Julie Delpy) falls ill. Whew. Inconsistent acting and clunky dialogue aside, The Air I Breathe infuses conventional genre thrills with introspection to intermittently engaging effect. --Kathleen C. Fennessy Customer Reviews: Rating: 
Date: 2008-07-05
Great movie
Buy this movie, it's worth it.
Don't judge the movie by analyzing the storyline.
Don't judge it by trying to compare this movie to "Crash" or "Babel" or whatever.
Don't listen to the comments by those, who want to show off their "deep" "cineaste" experience and questionable good taste in movies.
The magic of moving pictures lies NOT in specific tasks, that you can identify and cross off a checklist. It's the colors, shapes, movement, moments, timing and sound that evoke emotions while watching - and also after watching.
This movie is unsettling, it"s intriguing and it will leave you with very personal, beautiful thoughts to explore. If you need inspiration and stimulation, you should see this. If you are looking for a movie, that does all the thinking and feeling for you, you're better off watching E.T. one more time.
FIVE STARS for this one. Way to go.
Rating: 
Date: 2008-07-03
Beautiful Story, Fair Execution
Just like Crash, Babel, and other films before it, The Air I Breathe attempts to weave the lives of different people all into one story. Crash and Babel are two of my top films and I'm a big supporter of Sarah Michelle Gellar so I was definitely interested in seeing The Air I Breathe.
Another initial draw was that the story was based on a Chinese proverb where happiness, sorrow, pleasure, and love all interact with each other for a greater purpose. The interwoven stories and the initial purpose they serve for one character was executed fairly well. The last few frames make the 90-something minute film worth it, but the build up to it just wasn't what I expected. There was something a little flat about the film that I can't really get a hold on.
It wasn't the performances. They were all amazing. Forest Whitaker is a gem, and I really enjoyed seeing Kevin Bacon being emotional. Sarah Michelle Gellar has the acting chops, and she gets to showcase just a small amount of what does she have. Brendan Fraser portrayed a very low-key character, and I enjoyed him. I will admit that Andy Garcia and Emile Hirsch irritated me a bit.
Visually, the film was on and off. There were certain moments where things could have taken one or two steps up, and the impact the scene was meant to have would have generated something more. I will exclude Forest Whitaker's character's disposition and the final few frames from that for they hit where they were supposed to, as well as Sarah Michelle Gellar's scene on top of the hospital and Kevin Bacon's reaction.
I also believe that - for me - the emotional notes the film was supposed to hit didn't hit hard enough because the majority of the characters weren't really fleshed out as much as they should have been.
At the end of viewing, The Air I Breathe did not reach the status that I give Crash and Babel. The emotion and character development was just shy of giving me the feeling that I garnered from those two films. I definitely think if Jeiho Lee is given another film that he would surpass the effect The Air I Breathe was given. Rating: 
Date: 2008-06-22
Nice to see Fraser diversify...
This film has been on my recommendation list for customers that ask for that "I want to think a little bit tonight" movie and not have it be "dumb or condescending".
The four story lines here are dissected repeatedly by reviewers, and I have to agree with the supporters on descriptions and emotional impacts. Watching the DVD docu and listening to the commentaries gave some nice film making insight. Shows how one can make a good film on a tight budget with a rookie director and a great cast.
Some nice music from the Teddybears and thoughful prop management on making the city look American (as most of it was not filmed here). The performance by Fraser was out of his norm and provides a nice break from the Mummy/JTTCOTE rush right now. Kelly Hu stepped in for a brief but beautiful showing. Not quite sure what "originality", "stereotypes" and "plot holes" so many people are picking this apart for - but I feel it is a worthwhile watch for the actor's fans that follow their lesser-known roles. Rating:
Date: 2008-06-22
A Different Flick
This movie is not about people or events, it's about 4 different feelings; sorrow, happiness, love and pleasure. The characters and the plotline are just vehicles to express those 4 emotions under often unlikey conditions and in exquisite detail. In other words, 'The Air I Breathe' is Because I Am. Rating:
Date: 2008-06-21
a-m-a-z-i-n-g
I wish i could give this movie 10 stars !!!! it was soooo amazing , and sad , and full of action .
the story is very fast paced. you never et bored with it . The cast is amazing , especially sarah michelle gellar , she has practically the biggest role. She was amazing.
you should defiinately buy this movie... infact i think im goin to wartch it , again !!!!!! |
