The 1960s were a time of great importance—at least it felt that way for those of us growing up in the period. There was social upheaval. People demanded civil rights. Some of my generation fought a war; others fought against the war. Institutions were called into question. Minds were expanded (or burnt out) by drugs, religions, or nature. And through it all, we had The Beatles.

It’s not that The Beatles were especially political or profound, but in some visceral way, they represented the shift that was taking place in our world. Their long hair was permission for us all to look different from parents. Their music evolved through the few years they were atop the charts just as society evolved through the many little struggles and revolutions of the time.

Now we get their music matched with Julie Taymor’s visual acumen in Across the Universe. There is even a little bit of plot to string the songs and visuals together (or at least most of them). It’s the love story of Jude, a Liverpudlian dockworker who is overstaying his visa in the U.S., and Lucy, the sister of Jude’s middle class dropout friend, Max. (All of the key characters have names from Beatles songs. It’s cute to meet a new character and remember what song he or she represents and the little phrases that get tossed into the dialogue.)

Taymor, who directed Frida and the stage version of The Lion King, excels in creating visual realities that enhance the stories she tells. (And with so little story here, it helps to have something to enhance it.) In this film Taymor uses a variety of gimmicks: surrealism, absurd choreography, psychedelic coloring. The visual knack teamed with The Beatles’ music—this had the promise of creating something to be enjoyed at a variety of levels.

But be ready for disappointment. The film seems to be trying to give a hint of what that era was like, but only rarely does it manage to touch on the zeitgeist of those days. This is a pale imitation of any of the important themes that coalesced into the ’60s. These issues held meaning. For better or worse, those days changed the world. Ideas of self, of love, or honor, of justice all were central to that era. But those ideals are hidden in the background behind glitz that doesn’t quite work. This film barely makes it to the level of nostalgia.

It’s not that the film is totally devoid of value. A couple of the songs/visuals are quite effective, especially the treatment of “Let It Be” that combines images of the Detroit riots, a funeral of one of the victims of the riots, and a funeral for a soldier. I’d love to have that as a music video, but it is the exception rather than the rule in this film.

If all you want is song and dance, you may find this an enjoyable trip. But it is a trip that bypasses anything of real interest.