'The Lovely Bones' Movie Review

Alice Sebold's The Lovely Bones, the touching story of a murdered 14 year old girl whose soul doesn't move on to heaven and instead is stuck in an in-between state, makes its way into theaters in an uneven, visually dazzling adaptation. The Lovely Bones is not quite the movie fans of the book have been anticipating, although it's not from lack of trying.

Writer/director Peter Jackson throws every visual effects trick in the book into The Lovely Bones, but the sleek style and otherworldly production doesn't completely capture Sebold's heart-wrenching tale. It's a mighty effort and Jackson does deserve credit for trying to pull it off, and for remaining faithful in spirit to Sebold's work.

The Story

Susie Salmon (Saoirse Ronan) is a bright, innocent 14 year old from a loving family who has a mad crush on an older student and a talent for photography. The last day of her life begins as normally as any other: breakfast at home followed by a walk to school with her younger sister, Lindsey (Rose McIver), classes, and then drama club. After that it's just a short walk across a cornfield and then she's home. But her creepy neighbor, Mr. Harvey (Stanley Tucci), has other plans. Lured into his underground bunker, Susie at first is charmed by her odd but seemingly friendly neighbor. However her initial excitement over sharing this secret playhouse turns to fear as she senses he's dangerous. Unfortunately, she figures this out too late.

Murdered, her soul remains stuck in the in-between, a world she can manipulate and make into whatever she wants it to be. It's not heaven, but she's safe there and can watch over her grieving parents (Mark Wahlberg and Rachel Weisz), sister, and younger brother, Buckley (Christian Thomas Ashdale). As her devastated family tries to cope, Susie keeps an eye on each of them, even managing to find ways to communicate that she's still there to her father.

Time passes and Susie continues her vigil, looking down on the Salmon family and her killer who has yet to be suspected of her death. The loss of Susie affects each of the Salmons differently, with her dad obsessed with finding her murderer and her mother handling the situation by fleeing from home. Grandma Lynn (Susan Sarandon) steps in to try to fill the void, cigarette dangling from her mouth, alcohol her constant companion, and housework a skill she's never bothered to master.

Susie doesn't age, but her siblings do. Everything changes on earth, and Susie slowly comes to realize why she's in the in-between and what she needs to let loose of in order to continue her journey.

The Bottom Line

Bringing a popular book to the big screen is a treacherous proposition for any screenwriter. Unless you do it word-for-word, scene-for-scene, fans of the written work are likely to be critical of the adaptation. And because Alice Sebold's novel has so many layers – it definitely isn't simply a murder investigation and it isn't just about how one family handles the grieving process - bringing the story to life as a film meant a lot of cutting and compacting.

Peter Jackson and his Lord of the Rings writing team (Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens) had lots of chopping to do in order to make The Lovely Bones into a feature film rather than a miniseries. Adapting it for the screen meant leaving out a lot of ancillary characters and events fans of Sebold's book will miss. Gone are any mentions of Ray Singh's family. We also are never privy to Lindsey's development as a young woman, and much of the storyline surrounding Susie's mom has been obliterated. Of all the characters, hers is the one who suffers the most in this adaptation. She grieves, she gives up, and then she returns – and there's little or no reaction from other characters regarding any of this.

Also minimalized are Detective Len Fenerman (played by Michael Imperioli), the officer in charge of Susie's murder investigation, and Ruth Connors, the spiritual girl who sensed Susie's spirit passing by her on the night of the murder and who - in the book - is a major player in Susie's visions. These are all important elements of Sebold's story that were snipped in order to contain the story into a semi-manageable two hour and 15 minute running time. I miss much of what's been left out (I don't miss the rape scene one iota), yet it's understandable. Cuts had to be made. The problem with Jackson, Walsh and Boyens' choice of what to trim and what to expand on was the inclusion of more of the 'in-between' fantasy elements to the detriment of the narrative.

Jackson's a master at visual effects, however the effects of The Lovely Bones overwhelm and intrude on the story. Where just Susie's simple narration would have worked to provide her point of view from above, we get psychedelic dreamscapes loaded with flowers, birds...even a house that's a metaphor for her killer. It's gorgeous and exquisitely crafted, but Jackson's idea of afterlife is also overwhelming. It's simply too much of a good thing.

Those who haven't read the book may actually get more enjoyment out of the feature film adaptation than those who have read Sebold's novel. Although The Lovely Bones does remain faithful to the tone of Sebold's book, Jackson's adaptation plays out more as a whodunit. It's a decent film, but one that could have been so much better had Jackson allowed more of the earthbound story to play out and spent less time in the fantasy world.

GRADE: B-

The Lovely Bones was directed by Peter Jackson and is rated PG-13 for mature thematic material involving disturbing violent content and images, and some language.

Theatrical Release: December 11, 2009 (Ltd.), December 25, 2009 (Expanding), and January 15, 2010 (Wide)

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