The Lovely Bones

Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Mark Wahlberg, Rachel Weisz, & Stanley Tucci

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

The Lovely Bones was an award winning novel, turned into a major motion picture in 2009. Peter Jackson signed on to Direct and Steven Spielberg was the Executive Producer, so the budget for this film was massive, but it didn't do so well, leading people to believe it was a bad movie. While it was different from what the readers expected, the film was still better than average. The story is told by Susie Salmon (Saoirse Ronan), a 14 year old girl, who was murdered. Susie introduces us to her family and to her killer in what I saw as a mix between Ghost and What Dreams May Come. The story is extremely strong and very well written, but it isn't without it's problems. For instance, we learn the identity of the murderer almost immediately. There are also huge gaps in the story between when we see Susie in purgatory and when we see her families again. Saorise Ronan plays Susie and continues to amaze me. I honestly haven't been that crazy about most of the films I've seen her in, but she never seizes to amaze me. It really is only a matter of time until she's in the right film and gets national attention. By then, not only will people know her name, but they'll know how to pronounce it too. She is supported by some big names like Stanley Tucci, who at this point in his career has convinced me that he can play just about any role. The Lovely Bones is a great story, but it wasn't done in a way that appeals to mass audiences. The scenes in purgatory were never ending and there are big holes in the story, but the cast is terrific and the story is really good. If you're into films that stray from the norm, you might really enjoy this one.