Selective Bias: The Lovely Bones (2009)

The animated penguin-like thumbnail and the desire to soothe a troubled mind through some mindless cartoon prompted me to watch The Lovely Bones. It turned out to be a completely opposite genre; not only was it heavy and thought-provoking, it was a real riveting experience.

True to the signature style of the director, this Peter Jackson movie is an interesting aberration to his infinitely famous LOTR series. While the fantasy factor is still captured to the fullest, its the reality and seriousness of the subject that justifies the differed treatment. Based on Alice Sebold's novel of the same name, the story of a murdered 14-year old girl, narrated by her from 'between heaven and earth', may be classified as a drama, a suspense, a horror, or even a fantasy movie. It is interesting how Jackson has implemented his learning from the LOTRs in The Lovely Bones. Some parts of the movie are beautifully shot- in small crisp forms that force the viewer to think of the joining dots. The plot is not rocket-science and one is already aware of the final outcome. Yet, the treatment is such that one is tempted to wait for that outcome and figure out how it happens.

Stanley Tucci's portrayal of George Harvey, the curiously quiet neighbour, is undoubtedly the driving edge of the film. While few parts of the movie seem to drag unnecessarily, like the depiction of heaven depicting various moods and situations, the story picks up pace each time Harvey comes on screen. It is, therefore, not surprising who has garnered the solitary oscar nomination for the movie.

Saoirse Ronan's portrayal of Susan Salmon is nowhere near her Briony Tallis from Atonement, but nevertheless it is a praise-worthy portrayal. The rest of the cast gel well into the movie, with stalwarts like Susan Sarandon leaving no extra mark. Whether that is good or bad for the movie is now only a matter of perspective.

The reality-factor does not reach exactly the top of the believability scale due to the lack of focus on the method of finding the criminal and nailing him with enough evidence. But perhaps that helps the movie in sticking to its desired form of part-fantasy part-reality. Unlike premiere thrillers like Silence of the Lambs or Se7en, the important aspect of this movie is not in the technique applied in reaching the conclusions, but in the conclusion itself; it is not how we find the murderer, for we already know who he is, or how we prove the charges, but the gruesomeness of the crime and the pain and suffering it causes to each character directly or indirectly involved with it.

For all those who wouldn't mind a little suspension of disbelief for the sake of some spine-chilling and mature depiction of pedophilia, The Lovely Bones is a good late-night watch.