An intertwining timeline brings together three unlikely individuals: a young widow, an ill professor and a former drug addict.

All three of our main characters are at a crossroad in their lives and that crossroad brings them together in a most interesting and unfortunate way. There is an intensity to this film, fueled by many powerful performances, that is not easy to forget. These characters are engaging and richly developed.

The topsy-turvy timeline in the film keeps you guessing at "why" but it is a device that really isn't needed. The characters and story are so well defined that even with a traditional linear telling it would have lost little of its appeal.

If you're looking for great performances, interesting story and creative directing (and who isn’t) get 21 Grams in your movie collection.

Naomi Watts was nominated for Best Actress and Benicio Del Toro for his supporting role, both deservingly so, and Sean Penn surely would've been nominated if he wasn't slated to win for Mystic River the same year.

Directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu.