Synopsis
A drama based on an ancient Chinese proverb that breaks life down into four emotional cornerstones: happiness, pleasure, sorrow and love. A businessman bets his life on a horse race; a gangster sees the future; a pop star falls prey to a crime boss; a doctor must save the love of his life.
Your Movie Library
Cast
- Brendan FraserPleasure
- Andy GarcíaFingers
- Kevin BaconLove
- Sarah Michelle GellarSorrow
- Clark GreggHenry
- Emile HirschTony
- Forest WhitakerHappiness
- Kelly HuJiyoung
- Evan ParkeDanny
- Taylor NicholsSorrow's Father
Recommendations
- 63
TV Guide Magazine
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. - 50
USA Today
Each story has its moments, but "Air" lacks an overarching vision. - 50
The New York Times
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. - 50
New York Daily News
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. - 38
New York Post
Situations get increasingly ridiculous, and none of the characters ever seems like anything but a screenwriter's sketch. - 30
Variety
Stellar thesps gamely strive to elevate the one-note material, but gravity ultimately defeats them in this relentless downer. - 30
Village Voice
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. - 30
The Hollywood Reporter
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.
