All I’d been hearing about The Lovely Bones was that it was destined to win awards. Hmmm… So, I decided to watch it, largely because I hate when a movie I haven’t seen wins big and I’m left wondering how it beat some of the films I’d been cheering for on Oscar Night.
Word of warning: don’t expect the average male to sit and watch this movie with you. The name alone should hint that it’s not that kind of film. I wasn’t very excited by the title myself, but all that buzz had me paying attention whenever the movie was mentioned.
The story is based, as so many of Hollywood’s offerings seem to be lately, on a bestselling novel, this time the debut of Alice Sebold.
It surrounds the horrific murder of Susie Salmon – yes, “like the fish” - as the narrator, the deceased 14-year-old victim, tells it.
There’s no mystery to the plot, as of course she knows who took her life. Instead, it’s about Susie’s experiences and decisions while watching her family cope after her death, and what happens to her killer.
Stanley Tucci continues to impress me as an actor, this time as the murderer, Mr Harvey. The movie also features other A-listers like Susan Sarandon, Mark Wahlberg, and Rachel Weisz (The Mummy). I’d never heard of Rose McIver, but she also stood out as Susie’s younger sister, Lindsey.
I’m not sure I’d call this a great movie based on its depth or portrayal. But what I will remember are the stunning visual effects of the surreal, rapidly transforming after-world from which Susie observes life continuing in her small town.
That’s to be expected considering the movie is directed by Peter Jackson, who’s probably best known for doing The Lord of the Rings trilogy. (He also produced District 9, which I really liked.)
The ending… well, it didn’t offer the distinct satisfaction that the story was finished. Not in the way of hinting at a sequel, but more like there was no distinct climax, despite some definite suspense leading up to the end.
The special effects I’d give an A, but the rest of the movie is somewhere around a C. The reviews I’ve read of the book make it sound a lot more fascinating than the film.
Interestingly, Sebold has a second novel, Lucky, about her own survival of a brutal rape.
I liked The Lovely Bones, but I definitely won’t be a happy viewer if it wins an Academy Award in March over some of the films that I’ll definitely be routing a lot harder for.
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