The Air I Breathe 3140828 225728922 2008-07-15T03:06:13Z 72.87.244.254 /* Plot */ {{Infobox Film | name = The Air I Breathe | image = The Air I Breathe theatrical poster.jpg | image_size = | caption = Theatrical poster | director = [[Jieho Lee]] | producer = [[Darlene Caamaño]]<br/>[[Emilio Diez Barroso]]<br/>[[Paul Schiff]] | writer = [[Jieho Lee]]<br/>[[Bob DeRosa]] | narrator = | starring = [[Sarah Michelle Gellar]]<br/>[[Kevin Bacon]]<br/>[[Brendan Fraser]]<br/>[[Forest Whitaker]]<br/>[[Andy Garcia]]<br/>[[Emile Hirsch]]<br/>[[Julie Delpy]]<br/> | music = | cinematography = | editing = | distributor = [[THINKFilm]] | released = [[January 25]] [[2008]] <small>(limited)</small> | runtime = | country = [[United States]] | language = [[English language|English]] | budget = | gross = | preceded_by = | followed_by = | website = http://www.theairibreathemovie.com/ | amg_id = 1:393995 | imdb_id = 0485851 }} '''''The Air I Breathe''''' is a [[2008 in film|2008]] [[crime drama]] [[romance film]] and the directional debut from [[Korean-American]] filmmaker [[Jieho Lee]], who co-wrote the script with Bob DeRosa. It stars [[Sarah Michelle Gellar]], [[Brendan Fraser]], [[Cecilia Suárez]], [[Clark Gregg]], [[Emile Hirsch]], [[Forest Whitaker]], [[John Cho]], [[Julie Delpy]], [[Kelly Hu]], [[Kevin Bacon]] and [[Andy Garcia]]. The film was financed by NALA Investments through its production company [[NALA Films]]. The film was released on January 25th 2008 in the US . The concept of the film is based on an ancient Chinese proverb that breaks life down into four emotional cornerstones - [[Happiness]] (Whitaker), [[Pleasure]] (Fraser), [[Sorrow]] (Gellar), and [[Love]] (Bacon). The proverb speaks of these emotions, not as isolated fragments of feelings, but as elements that make up the whole of the human existence. Each of the four main protagonists is based on one of the four emotions; and like the proverb their paths are inextricably linked to each other. None of the four main characters' actual names are mentioned in the whole film, although Gellar's stage name, Trista, is mentioned several times. ("Tristis" means "sad" in Latin.) ==Cast== *[[Forest Whitaker]] as Happiness *[[Brendan Fraser]] as Pleasure *[[Sarah Michelle Gellar]] as Sorrow *[[Kevin Bacon]] as Love *[[Andy Garcia]] as Fingers *[[Emile Hirsch]] as Tony - Finger's nephew *[[Julie Delpy]] as Gina *[[Will Maier]] as Mr. Park *[[Clark Gregg]] as Henry *[[Cecilia Suárez]] *[[John Cho]] as Bart *[[Kelly Hu]] as Jiyoung *[[Jason Dolley]] as Young Pleasure *[[Todd Stashwick]] as Frank *[[Jon Bernthal]] as Interviewer ==Plot== Each of the elements of life (Happiness/Pleasure/Sorrow/Love) is portrayed using different characters with [[Andy Garcia]] (Fingers) playing the character that intertwines all four individuals. '''Happiness''' [[Forrest Whitaker]] plays 'Happiness', a businessman who loves butterflies. When he accidentally overhears a sure bet at a horse race he decides to bet it all. Unfortunately he loses the bet and gets caught by [[Andy Garcia]] (Fingers) who runs that gambling/betting pool. Fingers derives his name from his habit of cutting off the fingers of those who don’t pay back their debts. When Fingers threatens Whitaker that he will cut off his fingers if he doesn’t pay his debt of $50,000, Whitaker decides to rob a bank. After fleeing to a roof the police orders him to drop his gun. He does not comply and is killed by the police. His bag with money falls on the street. When he hits the ground his jacket is spread out making him look like a butterfly. '''Pleasure''' [[Brendan Fraser]] plays 'Pleasure', a man with a sad past and an ability to foresee the future of the people he meets, an ability that deprives him of the pleasure of enjoying the surprises in life. When he was young, he and his brother engaged in a street fight with another teenager. Fraser won the fight but found his brother killed in the crossfire. Fraser often has flashbacks of this scene throughout the movie. Later in his life, Fraser joins Finger's gang and becomes one of Finger's favorites due mostly to Fraser's ability to foresee the future of everyone he meets except for one person - 'Sorrow'. '''Sorrow''' [[Sarah Michelle Gellar]] plays 'Sorrow', a famous pop singer and dancer with the stagename "Trista" who works with a manager who is indebted to Fingers. The manager, instead of paying of his debt in cash, gives Gellar's contract to Fingers. Gellar escapes from Fingers and meets Fraser. Fingers, naturally, has already ordered his team to find Gellar. In the meantime, Fraser helps Gellar by letting her stay in his house knowing that his house is the only place where Fingers wouldn't search. '''Love''' [[Kevin Bacon]] plays 'Love', a doctor that is in love with his longtime friend (Julie Delpy) but is too afraid to let her know. Julie gets bitten by a poisonous snake and desperately needs a rare form of blood that only Gellar has. When Gellar comes to the hospital after being injured trying to escape from Fingers and while she is about to jump from a roof to commit suicide, Bacon saves her and she helps him by providing blood for a transfusion. ==Reception== American critics gave the film generally negative reviews. As of [[April 1]], 2008, the review aggregator [[Rotten Tomatoes]] reported that 14% of critics gave the film positive reviews, based on 21 reviews.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_air_i_breahe/ |title=The Air I Breathe - Movie Reviews, Trailers, Pictures - Rotten Tomatoes |accessdate=2008-02-13 |publisher=[[Rotten Tomatoes]]}}</ref>. [[Metacritic]] reported the film had an average score of 37 out of 100, based on 9 reviews.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/film/titles/airibreathe |title=Air I Breathe, The (2008): Reviews |accessdate=2008-01-28 |publisher=[[Metacritic]]}}</ref> However, outside of the USA, critics were mostly more favourable. ==Home release== The movie was released on [[DVD]] and [[Blu-ray Disc]] on May 27, 2008 in the US and includes a commentary, featurette, trailer and deleted scenes. Play.com have said the film will be release on DVD in the UK on Monday 15th September 2008. ==References== {{reflist}} == External links == *[http://www.theairibreathemovie.com/ Official website] *{{imdb title|id=0485851|title=The Air I Breathe}} *{{rotten-tomatoes|id=the_air_i_breahe|title=The Air I Breathe}} *{{metacritic film|id=airibreathe|title=The Air I Breathe}} *{{mojo title|id=airibreathe|title=The Air I Breathe}} *{{amg movie|id=1:393995|title=The Air I Breathe}} *[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8JGh5z9IDk Trailer] on ThinkFilm channel on [[YouTube]] {{DEFAULTSORT:Air I Breathe, The}} [[Category:2008 films]] [[Category:Thriller films]] [[Category:Estudios Churubusco films]] [[Category:Romance films]] [[de:The Air I Breathe]] [[it:The Air I Breathe]] [[nl:The Air I Breathe]]