Peter Jackson’s latest oeuvre – The Lovely Bones is a screen adaptation of the bestseller novel by Alice Sebold. For the few of you who don’t know – it concerns the aftermath of the rape and murder of Susie Salmon, a 14 year-old schoolgirl in Middle America. Her journey in the afterlife and the emotional repercussions on her family are explored. Thankfully, the rape and murder are not depicted.
It has been slammed by some critics for Jackson’s direction and an over reliance on CGI effects. But as someone who has read the novel, I felt that Jackson’s realisation of the characters and visuals nailed it. The weak link in the chain, in my opinion was Rachel Weisz as Susie’s mother Abigail. Her previous roles have been in big dumb fun flicks like The Mummy, and she fails to convey much emotional depth in this one.
Mark Wahlberg, by contrast conveys a real intensity of grief and rage as the bereft father of Susie. Other standouts are Susan Sarandon as the chain-smoking, hard-drinking grandmother; Stan Tucci as bland and creepy George Harvey, the murderer; and our own Rose McIver as Susie’s sister Lindsey. Saoirse Ronan brilliantly plays Susie as an impish teen on the brink of womanhood.
It has been slammed by some critics for Jackson’s direction and an over reliance on CGI effects. But as someone who has read the novel, I felt that Jackson’s realisation of the characters and visuals nailed it. The weak link in the chain, in my opinion was Rachel Weisz as Susie’s mother Abigail. Her previous roles have been in big dumb fun flicks like The Mummy, and she fails to convey much emotional depth in this one.
Mark Wahlberg, by contrast conveys a real intensity of grief and rage as the bereft father of Susie. Other standouts are Susan Sarandon as the chain-smoking, hard-drinking grandmother; Stan Tucci as bland and creepy George Harvey, the murderer; and our own Rose McIver as Susie’s sister Lindsey. Saoirse Ronan brilliantly plays Susie as an impish teen on the brink of womanhood.
In accordance with the book’s fantasy element, Weta Workshops have come to the party with some stunning geography for Susie’s afterlife word – which is quite in keeping with the fantastical scenes conjured by Sebold in her novel. The soundtrack is by Brian Eno, providing a suitably ethereal soundscape.
Old time collaborators Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens have made some cuts and compromises along the way in the screenplay to accommodate the story in what is still quite a long movie. They focus on Susie’s character and spiritual journey as the main theme, where the book explored the emotional fallout among her family in much more depth.
Just the same – they could have played it as a mawkish 5-hanky sob fest, but instead it has a restrained tone, which gets it just right.
Great review and insights into a lush movie on a sensitive topic. It is always hard to make a film based on a popular, and sensational book. Thanks, Phil.
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