The Lovely Bones [M]

When fourteen year-old Susie Salmon was murdered she left her unfinished life behind. But now she is lingering in a beautiful in-between world and she must help her father accept her leaving and help her family live before she can move on. 

I have to say straight off the board that it was nice to see Peter Jackson direct a film that was not packed to bursting with monsters. The man has a real monster fetish, I think, but in The Lovely Bones we get to see a side of Peter Jackson that we’ve never seen before. This is a truly enchanting and beautiful film and a wonderful adaptation of a novel that I loved and could not put down. 

Susie Salmon was a regular fourteen year-old; she had friends, high school crushes, and a creative passion for photography. But then, one fateful night, she was murdered and she left behind a life unfinished. Now, Susie is lingering in a strange and beautiful in-between world and she must punish her killer, help her father accept her leaving and let her family live before she can finally move on. 

The book on which this movie is based is by Alice Sebold and is actually rather graphic and gritty. What I liked particularly about Jackson’s visual adaptation is that it left the more violent and terrifying parts to your imagine. It hinted at without actually showing what the villain does to the heroine and I thought that was a better and safer way to go as that certain scene in the book is a bit of a shock and a turn-off. 

Everything, absolutely everything about this movie was breathtakingly stunning. Special applause must go the art and visual effects departments for their DAZZLING interpretations of the world in-between. It was beautiful, cosmic, sinister, haunting, enchanting, and a place of fear and great comfort. It was absolutely breathtaking! 

Now we must turn our attention to young Saoirse Ronan who stars as Susie Salmon. I believe that Saoirse has a long and fruitful career ahead of her as, after doing this movie she went on to star alongside Cate Blanchett and Eric Bana in Hanna, which was a brilliant film! Saoirse was a perfect casting choice as the film’s heroine and she delivered a performance that was innocent, vengeful, protective, deeply lamenting, clinging, and finally, accepting and embracing. She was absolutely enchanting to watch on screen. 

I also have to pay Mark Wahlberg and Stanley Tucci special notice because Mark Wahlberg played the role of the grieving father painfully well. He was empowering and wholly believable and I found myself tearing up whenever he was on screen. Stanley Tucci who plays the villain, wow, I didn’t recognise him at first. Most audiences will probably remember falling in love with Stanley after his roles in The Devil Wears Prada and Julie & Julia, but in The Lovely Bones he takes a walk on the dark side and he gave a performance that was frightfully sinister and seedy. He really did send shivers down my spine! 

Starring Rachel Weisz, Michael Imperioli, Rose McIver, Christian Thomas Ashdale, Reece Ritchie, Carolyn Dando, and Susan Sarandon, The Lovely Bones is a breathtakingly beautiful film filled with murder, suspense, grit, drama, enchanting fantasy, and the healing power of love. It’s a visual feast for the eyes and I am so proud to have it in my collection. IT’S JUST STUNNING!