'The Lovely Bones' (09)

'The Lovely Bones' (09) (PG-13) ***

Writers: Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens and Peter Jackson
Director: Peter Jackson
Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Mark Wahlberg, Rachel Weisz, Susan Sarandon, Stanley Tucci, Rose McIver, Reece Ritchie

The last movie I will review for 2009 before I produce my best/worst of 2009 is "The Lovely Bones" based on the great and powerful novel by Alice Sebold. Like earlier this year with Cormac McCarthy's "The Road" I think this is a very difficult book to film and it shows. I felt a slight disconnect watching this movie and when I read the book I felt the opposite. It took me a while to warm up to the movie and feel emotion. The movie is a little messy and unfocused and I think that comes from trying to capture the fantasy sequences and making them mesh with the real life murder drama. The movie like the book is narrated by a 14 year old girl named Susie Salmon. She is telling us that she was 14 when she was murdered and all signs point to a lecherous neighbor played creepily by Stanley Tucci. She then proceeds to watch over her family as they grieve. Susie is in her own perfect World after her death. I was first worried that the fantasy sequences would be weak and garish. I actually found them beautiful visually and kind of touching. The problem I have is with the family drama and murder story because I felt it was weak and too familiar when the book didn't make me feel that way. I have seen this type of story done better and many times before. That story just feels on a different plane then the fantasy stuff. Now Mark Wahlberg, Rachel Weisz, Stanley Tucci and Susan Sarandon are good and even Sarandon is better than the bad reviews she got. The film though belongs to Saoirse Ronan as Susie and she is the main reason I will recommend this movie for she is Susie Salmon! This Oscar nominated actress for "Atonement" is astonishing and perfect in the role and she steals the movie away from everyone like she did in "Atonement". She is so good that I am surprised she didn't get nominated for this.

The movie has caused controversy surrounding the subject matter and how the fantasy sequences are silly and distract from the scenes on Earth. There are people that are angry because the murder and rape are off screen and not shown. First like I said the fantasy sequences are well handled and the strong point of the movie. Next do we really want to see a 14 year old girl get raped and murdered and tell me how are you going to show this? I was fine with not showing the murder because this is a strong female centered movie and I feel younger women will appreciate the film's strong depiction of a 14 year old girl. This is PG-13 rated for a reason and I think girls Susie's age will get into this movie. If you make it bloody and gruesome you are going to lose the poignancy of this story and a book is a different matter because you can disconnect from the brutality of the murder when you read. I was on the fence with this movie and it is not as good as the book which is one of my favorites. But a funny thing happened at the end where I actually started to tear up. There is a beautiful, touching and subtly powerful few scenes at the end where Susie gets closure in a way you wouldn't expect. Peter Jackson tries his best and he does succeed in a minor way and Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens screenplay captures the pain and wishes of a 14 year old girl very well. I think men might find this movie boring and I think females will embrace it more. It is not a chick flick but it's strength is in the scenes that deal with Susie and her emotions and not the scenes dealing with her family trying to solve her murder.