Peter Jackson's latest project, The Lovely Bones, treats a harrowing subject with dignity and tenderness. The Lovely Bones is the tale of 14-year-old Susie Salmon, who lives in a happy family in rural Pennsylvania.
After her brutal murder she watches over her family as they attempt to come to terms with her violent death. Translating a much-loved book for the big screen was always going to be a challenge and purists might be disappointed with some of the changes Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyen made to Alice Sebold's novel.
The 1970s are recreated brilliantly, from the colour-clashing costumes to the soft furnishings and the feel of the era. In terms of casting, Jackson has surrounded himself with impressive talent.
Saoirse Ronan is perfectly cast as Susie Salmon, Stanley Tucci is suitably creepy and Susan Sarandon provides some welcome comic relief as the cocktail-swilling, chain-smoking, straight-talking grandmother.
Mark Wahlberg puts in a powerful performance as the father who refuses to give up on his daughter. There are also solid performances from New Zealanders Rose McIvor, as Susie's sister, and Carolyn Dando.
The CGI rendering of Susie's "in-between world" is wonderfully dreamlike and does the book justice but on occasion these sequences feel a little over-long. As a result the scenes back on Earth, particularly midway through the film, feel a little disjointed.
Early test screenings suggested that audiences were disappointed with Jackson's treatment of Susie's murder, but it's nice not to be spoon-fed during a movie for a change. Suggestive flashbacks allow the audience to fill in the blanks.
It's obvious that the original source material is very dear to the writers' hearts and they've tried to convey some of the innocence and charm of the original book into the film. I'll be honest, I'm in two minds about this one, I enjoyed the movie and some sections were classic Peter Jackson, but I was left feeling it could have been so much more.
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