The Lovely Bones
Directed By: Peter Jackson
Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Mark Wahlberg, Rachel Weisz, Stanley Tucci
Rated: PG-13
2 hrs. 15 min.
The Lovely Bones is told by 14-year-old Susie Salmon (Soairse Ronan), murdered in December of 1973, as she watches her family struggle in the time after her disappearance from a place called "The In-Between." She must find closure with her death before she may move on to heaven.
The acting by lead Saoirse Ronan is absolutely superb. She is able to project her own fears, frustrations, and countless other emotions on the audience rather well. Mark Wahlberg plays the role of a father in search for answers to perfection, and we root for him to find the answers he desperately seeks for the sake of his murdered daughter. Stanley Tucci's creepy version of George Harvey also stuns. In fact, all of the acting is utterly impressive, but those three in particular stand ahead of the rest.
As brilliant as the acting may be, it does not account for the fact that the story itself lacks. While it is true that films based on books will never logistically be able to include everything that the book does for the sake of time, there were so many elements missing from the film. Moments in the story that were important to the integrity of the original plot were completely cut; these moments are also essential to the emotion behind the story. Even a friend who had never read the book stated that there seemed to be something missing.
It seemed as though the director was more focused on making the film visually spectacular as apposed to trying to keep the story well-rounded. That may pass in epics like the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Peter Jackson, but that does not fly in emotion-based dramas such as The Lovely Bones.
Overall, it is a good attempt, but even the strong acting cannot save the story from completely falling flat.
Grade: C+
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