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Year One
Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed movies.
Air I Breathe, The

Generally unfavorable reviews
Based on 9 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 17 votes
Read user comments
Rate this movie >
Movie Info
Genre(s): Crime | Drama | Romance
Written by:
Jieho Lee
Bob DeRosa
Directed by: Jieho Lee
Release Date:
Theatrical: January 25, 2008
DVD: May 27, 2008
Running Time: minutes, Color
Origin: Mexico / USA
Summary
RATING: R for violence, language and some sexual content/nudity
Starring Kevin Bacon, Forest Whitaker, Andy Garcia, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Brendan Fraser, Julie Delpy, and Emile Hirsch
Inspired by a Chinese proverb that breaks life down into four key emotions – Happiness, Sorrow, Pleasure, and Love – The Air I Breathe is told in four short fables, each built around a character who embodies one of these key emotions. In Happiness, a timid banker who impulsively bets every cent he has, and then some, on a supposedly “sure thing.” In “Sorrow,” a rising pop star whose contract falls under the control of a ruthless crime boss, and his corrupt nephew. In “Pleasure,” a man who can see into the future of everyone he meets, but is totally blind when it comes to his own; and in “Love,” a doctor who pines for a woman he can never possess, only to find that he suddenly holds her life in his hands. Though each of the characters believes that his or her life is governed by hazard and chance, their unbridled emotions, impulsive choices, and reckless moves all prove one universal truth: character is destiny, and each of us makes our own fate. (THINKfilm)
Also On The Web: Internet Movie Database View The Trailer Official Studio Site
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
TV Guide Ken Fox
Lee deserves a lot of credit for attempt the same kind of complex story structure Quentin Tarantino made look so easy in "Pulp Fiction": Like Tarantino's interlocking stories, Lee's four segments occur achronologically and come full circle in a neat twist at the very end.
Read Full Review >The New York Times Stephen Holden
An ingenious contraption that holds your attention for as long as it whirs and clicks like a mechanized Rubik’s Cube. After it’s over, however, you may find yourself scratching your head and wondering if there was any purpose to this sleek little gizmo.
Read Full Review >New York Daily News Jack Mathews
The source for Jieho Lee's The Air I Breathe is an ancient Chinese proverb about the four cornerstones of emotion - love, pleasure, happiness and sorrow. But Lee and co-writer Bob DeRosa went 0-4 with their convoluted screenplay, making me thankful they didn't try to adapt the Seven Deadly Sins.
Read Full Review >USA Today Claudia Puig
Each story has its moments, but "Air" lacks an overarching vision.
Read Full Review >New York Post Kyle Smith
Situations get increasingly ridiculous, and none of the characters ever seems like anything but a screenwriter's sketch.
Read Full Review >Variety Ronnie Scheib
Stellar thesps gamely strive to elevate the one-note material, but gravity ultimately defeats them in this relentless downer.
Read Full Review >Village Voice Ella Taylor
The destiny-versus- responsibility hand-wringing is Philosophy 101, the camera angles straight out of film school, and the pacing strictly music-video. Plus, the ta-da! twist ending is foreshadowed roughly 20 minutes into the action, for those still interested.
Read Full Review >The Hollywood Reporter Frank Scheck
A top-notch varied group of actors, no doubt attracted by the colorfulness of their roles, has been assembled, but their hardworking efforts are ultimately done in by the supremely pretentious nature of the material.
Read Full Review >Los Angeles Times Carina Chocano
A stew of cheap irony, ponderous but meaningless allegory, violence and pretension, the movie is all borrowed style and calculated pandering. It does, however, get more ludicrous by the minute. So in that sense, it's good for an occasional laugh.
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this movie is 5.5 (out of 10) based on 17 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Chad S. gave it a5:
A screenwriter's convolution, or is it possible that Love(Kevin Bacon) is so in love with Gina(Julie Delpy), the doctor just can't help approach the security guards with too much piss, too much vigor? He needs Sorrow's blood. Love learns that the pop star(played by Sarah Michelle Gellar) has the same rare blood type as Gina during Sorrow's interview with a rock journalist. No. We're not in Japan. But anyway, rather than approach Sorrow in a calm, orderly fashion(just like any medical professional would), the doctor bum-rushes the pop star like a fanatic. Needless to say, the doctor's attempt to acquire the blood, fails. And you know what? Love actually gets a second chance. That's when "The Air I Breathe" reaches for its revolver and shoots the region inside our brains that controls our suspension of disbelief.
[Anonymous] gave it a7:
Entertaining, involving, with good performances, why did this movie inspire such revulsion? Better than about 2/3 of the product on the market. Biggest weakness: inconsistent use of paranormal gimmick.
Guy M. gave it a7:
Did not quite get what was so "happy" about the happiness portion of the four part section but overall I enjoyed the movie
M Blues gave it a2:
Ludicrous, ridiculous, beyond silly. What in the world are these great actors thinking?? The writer/director must come from serious $$$.
