Why I will never stop crushing on Jim Sturgess in ‘Across The Universe’
The talented Jim Sturgess has a new movie, Electric Slide, out in theaters today. In the film, he plays a furniture-dealer-turned-bank-robber—and I’m sure he’s amazing, but I’ll be honest: He’ll always be Jude from Across the Universe to me.
I was sixteen when Across The Universe came out and, let’s just say, it was basically the best thing my eyes had ever seen. Sure, it had a rag-tag mess of critical reviews but I was fresh out of my first ever Beatles phase and had recently learned about Julie Taymor’s work in my Drama II class, so yeah, Across the Universe was a big deal for me. It was weird and colorful and can we talk about the awesome yet artful use of puppetry?! Plus the Beatles. (The Beatles, people!)
I still love it to this day. Between you, me and the entire Internet, there’s just one aspect of that movie that I will especially NEVER not stop loving. And that’s the film’s brown-eyed, charmer of a lead, Sturgess. He dazzled me then, and he dazzles me now whenever I re-watch the movie.
Here are a few reasons why I know I’m not alone:
His voice—there was just so much passion
It was 2007 when the film came out and was kind of considered a big deal because it was the first time a movie’s plot was to be centered on Beatles songs with a huge production and a 1960s set. Audiences were introduced to a whole cast of characters with names inspired by Beatles songs (Sadie, Max, Prudence, Lucy — you get it) along with doe-eyed Jude (Sturgess). The film starts by panning into a close up of his face as he croons “Girl,” and, well, I’m sorry, but my heart couldn’t have been the only ones doing back-flips in that theater back in 2007. He truly embodies the sound of the Beatles, but in a completely new, personalized, 2007-ish way.
His true dedication to the role was obvious
You could totally tell he was MEGA excited about being a part of the film. With all the Beatles songs, artful puppetry, and trippy scenes, this movie was going to be huge. People everywhere were going to watch it. He knew it, we knew it. This was his big break and gosh darn it, he was going to perform the hell out of it—and perform he did. He was electric in every scene, song, and trippy ’60s montage the film had to offer and we all ate it up.
His accent was on point
“Where’s that accent from?” Max asks. “Same place as me,” Jude replies. “Liverpool.” The camera practically pauses over his face as if production was saying: “Did you hear that? He said Liverpool. Like where the Beatles are from, because Beatles songs inspired this movie. Do you get it? Do you?” Listen; even I know this film isn’t exactly pitch perfect, but that Liverpudlian accent with that scraggly hair, and that snaggle tooth that was just barely visible as he sang “Something,” was pitch perfect.
Jude and Lucy were perfect together
Do you remember the scene? You know the scene. If you’re anything like me that scene has been burned into your brain since you were 16 years old. “I’ve Just Seen A Face?” The bowling alley? The side glance? The smirk? THE SMIRK. Ah yes, that scene. Now you remember.
Yeah Sturgess owned his role, yeah his accent was killer, but this movie is about “a giiiiirrrrlll, a giiirrrrlll” or did you forget the opening scene already? Jude was all about Lucy (played by the always awesome Evan Rachel Wood) and Lucy was all about him. Despite the fact that their relationship plays out exactly as expected, Sturgess and Green played the singing love birds so beautifully, your heart couldn’t help but soar for the two of them. It was lovely and charming and just plain adorable. Jude and Lucy proved that love conquers all, at least, they had me convinced. Their relationship was what I imagined falling in love felt like, and you never get over your first love—even if he’s just a character in a movie.
