Reviewed by Z. Frame
Having not read the bestselling book by Alice Sebold, I’m glad that I can review Peter Jackson’s Film, The Lovely Bones, without the distraction of knowing the story, and the inevitability of drawing comparisons with the book that it would cause me. Having talked about the film with my wife, who has read the book, I could see where the concerns from some areas about this adaption could come from.
“How do you make a PG rated film whose story centres around the the death, rape and dismemberment of a 14 year old girl?” she asked.
The plot centres around a young, bright, teenage girl Susie Salmon (Saorise Ronan) in 1973 Pennsylvania and her family life in this ‘Partridge Family’ era of 70’s America, bad hair and all (especially Whalberg). The wannabe photographer is full of life, minimal teen angst within her obviously loving family life, and in the first throws of a teenage crush with a young British boy, Ray. Susie’s parents are played adequately well by the aforementioned Whalberg, often bordering on the wooden, but overall handling his scenes with dignity and completely believable emotion. Rachel Weisz as Abigail is convincing, but her character seems to be less a pivotal part of Jackson’s narrative as it was, apparently, in Sebold’s novel (extra plotlines involving Abigail are hinted at but never followed up). Susan Saradon, as Susie’s boozed up Grandmother offers some light comic relief within the family, but her role is one of supporting cast.
Young Susie Salmon, played excellently by Ronan, finds herself bumping into neighbour George Harvey, played with creepy, understated skill by Stanley Tucci, as she walks home from school across deserted farmland. The friendly George encourages the girl to come and see an underground ‘den’ that he had built for use by the local kids to play in. Oh dear. Initially suspicious, but not wanting to hurt George’s feelings, Susie follows him down to the creepy hideaway in the middle of the field. The hideaway is eerie, suggestively filled with teen magazines, dolls, with the feel of a paedophile lair, and Susie makes a bid to escape.
You don’t see Susie’s death, as her anxious family wait for her to return home. She doesn’t get home though. We know she’s dead, but Jackson doesn’t fully explore how she’s died, and I don’t think he needs to. The film flows into a mix of stunning, highly imaginative, creative, stunning imagery as it portrays the teenager coming to terms with her own death, stuck in a form of heavenly purgatory, and watching over the events that unfold within the lives of those she has left behind. Her father, mother, killer, and older sister Lyndsey (played brilliantly and improving as her part in the story unfolds by Rose McIver) are shown to be dealing with Susie’s death in very different ways. I felt the role of Susie’s parent’s relationship breakdown was somewhat rushed over, although this left more time for the developing chase for Harvey, pursued by an ever more inquisitive Lyndsey, and the beautiful, fantastical after-life sequences to shine brilliantly through.
At times darkly horrific, whilst others beautifully heartfelt and powerful ,I found Peter Jackson’s ‘The Lovely Bones’ to be a hugely individual and emotional film, avoiding over sentimentality, and a stunning visual, dream-like feast. It is one of the most moving, touching and unique films I have seen in a long time, very different to anything else out there in many ways, and a superb addition to Peter Jackson’s varied collection of films.
