Lovely Bones, The (2009) [Blu-ray]
Drama | Fantasy | Thriller

From Academy Award winning director Peter Jackson comes the extraordinary story about one girl's life, and everything that came after. When 14-year-old Susie Salmon was murdered, she left her unfinished life behind. But now from her place in a strange but beautiful in-between world, she must help her father catch her killer and protect her family before she can finally move on. Filled with thrilling suspense, hope and the redeeming power of love, it's "One of the best films of the year. Incredibly powerful." - Harry Knowles, Ain't it Cool News.

Storyline: A 14-year-old girl in suburban 1970's Pennsylvania is murdered by her neighbor. She tells the story from the place between Heaven and Earth, showing the lives of the people around her and how they have changed all while attempting to get someone to find her lost body. Written by Anonymous

User Comment: demystifield from Newark, 4 February 2010 • Peter Jackson's unhealthy obsession with CGI truly drives his film off a cliff in his poor adaptation of the novel "The Lovely Bones" Jackson forgoes the book's intelligence and intricate story and puts in an unhealthy obsession for the sensational that drives a wedged between his actors, who really are working with nothing and the viewer, who is left with a empty feeling after the film is over. The characters are nothing but objects for Jackson to manipulate in order to put in more CGI shots and their story is forfeited for a child like look into death, but with out the reality and complexity of the grieving process.

Rachel Weisz, who is one of the most gifted and versatile actresses working today is giving little to do while in the book, her character is the most complex of the entire novel. Despite this, Weisz does a great job, giving the movie more heart and complexity with the little that she's given to work with than what the film does for itself, making a small dent in the parade of mindless CGI that Jackson puts on screen. Mark Wahlberg faces the same problem, giving a good performance that has no support from the director. Susan Sarandon does as much as humanly possible by giving humanity to her striped down and degraded character, who in the book is much more than the comic relief that Jackson tries to puts on screen and Stanley Tucci manages to give a tight performance as the creepy neighbor despite Jackson's unhealthy obsession to make him the main character of the film. Tucci brings dignity and substance to this character, while Jackson tries to exploit him. Last and not least, Saoirse Ronan does wonders with her role, which also stripped bare from the novel. Her character in the book had a complex innocents that had many layers of conflict while in the film, she's basically held as a angel in Peter Jackson's mind. Jackson puts on rosy color glasses when he deals with the character of Susie and that's where he goes really wrong because he does not make her a real person, he makes her an unreal angel that was with out fault.

Peter Jackson not only hurts his own film but hurts the actors who made an effort to be faithful to the heart of the book as well, making this adaptation very painful to watch.

Summary: Despite the solid efforts made by Rachel Weisz, Stanley Tucci and Saoirse Roan, they still can't stop Peter Jackson from driving this film off a CGI Cliff.

[CSW] -2.7- The CGI is metaphorical but there is definitely too much (time) of it. This is a once-is-enough movie, but worth seeing once.

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