Movie Review: The Lovely Bones

The Lovely Bones



Director: Peter Jackson
Stars: Rachel Weisz
             Mark Wahlberg
             Saoirse Ronan


Ratings:

★ ★ ★


My thoughts:

A movie based on a novel by Alice Sebold, directed by Peter Jackson. 

This is a story of a young girl who was murdered by his neighbor and watches her family and friends from "in between heaven and earth".

Casting is great, Mark Wahlberg and Rachel Weisz. They're great in portraying the role of the murdered girl's mom and dad. And yeah, Saorise Ronan is perfect for Susie's role. I cannot see other girl acting as Susie in this film.

The visual effects are also great. Peter Jackson created a somewhat wonderful idea of "in between heaven and earth". A place that looks like a perfect piece of painting. 

And while everything is great, casting, acting and visuals, I think Mr. Jackson forgot to focus on the story. I have not read the book so I don't really know what happened in the book but in the movie, the story went on how Susie's family and friends wept on her death, and then after a while, moved on. In some parts, the movie dragged on and on. I was expecting something BIG to happen but nothing really major happened in this movie. And again, I was not satisfied with the ending. It's like after watching the whole movie, sat for almost 2 hours and then nothing. "Is that it?"

Lastly, since the title is Lovely bones, may I ask where are the lovely bones?!?! It was funny because I even asked my husband that question. I might have missed it and up until now I don't know why it's called The Lovely Bones.

About the book:

When we first meet 14-year-old Susie Salmon, she is already in Heaven. This was before milk carton photos and public service announcements, she tells us; back in 1973, when Susie mysteriously disappeared, people still believed these things didn't happen. In the sweet, untroubled voice of a precocious teenage girl, Susie relates the awful events of her death and her own adjustment to the strange new place she finds herself. It looks a lot like her school playground, with the good kind of swing sets. With love, longing, and a growing understanding, Susie watches her family as they cope with their grief, her father embarks on a search for the killer, her sister undertakes a feat of amazing daring, her little brother builds a fort in her honor and begin the difficult process of healing. In the hands of a brilliant novelist, this story of seemingly unbearable tragedy is transformed into a suspenseful and touching story about family, memory, love, Heaven, and living. - Goodreads