The Lovely Bones (2009)

Director:

Peter Jackson

Writers (WGA):

Fran Walsh (screenplay) &
Philippa Boyens (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

15 JANUÁR 2010 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Fantasy | Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

The story of a life and everything that came after...

Plot:

Centers on a young girl who has been murdered and watches over her family - and her killer - from heaven. She must weigh her desire for vengeance against her desire for her family to heal.

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Afterlife | Rape | Dead Child | Funeral

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 9 nominations

Cast

Mark Wahlberg	...	Jack Salmon
Stanley Tucci	...	George Harvey
Rachel Weisz	...	Abigail Salmon
Saoirse Ronan	...	Susie Salmon
Susan Sarandon	...	Grandma Lynn
Amanda Michalka	...	Clarissa
Michael Imperioli	...	Len Fenerman
Jake Abel	...	Brian Nelson
Rose McIver	...	Lindsey Salmon
Reece Ritchie	...	Ray Singh
Thomas McCarthy	...	Principal Caden
Nikki SooHoo	...	Holly
Carolyn Dando	...	Ruth
Andrew James Allen	...	Samuel Heckler
Anna George	...	Mrs. Singh
Charlie Saxton	...	Ronald Drake
Christian Thomas Ashdale	...	Buckley Salmon
Robyn Malcolm	...	Foremans Wife
Stink Fisher	...	Mr. Connors
Stefania Owen	...	Flora Hernandez
Bravo	...	Holiday - Dog
Steven Moreti	...	Diner Customer
Tina Graham	...	Sophie Cichetti
Seth F. Miller	...	Soccer Coach

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for mature thematic material involving disturbing violent content and images, and some language.

Runtime:

135 min

Country:

USA | UK | New Zealand

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:PG-13 | Japan:G | UK:12A | Ireland:15A

Filming Locations:

Camperdown Studios, Camperdown Road, Miramar, Wellington, New Zealand

Company:

WingNut Films

Trivia:

Helen Hunt was reportedly considered for the role of Abigail Salmon. Instead, Rachel Weisz accepted the role, and was the first actor cast in the film.

Quotes:

Susie Salmon: Always, I would watch Ray; I was in the air around him, I was in the cold winter mornings he spent with Ruth Connors; and sometimes Ray would think of me, but he began to wonder maybe it was time to put that memory away, maybe it was time to let me go.

Movie Connections:

Version of Anghel sa lupa (2003)

Soundtrack:

Alice

Despite the solid efforts made by Rachel Weisz, Stanley Tucci and Saoirse Roan, they still can't stop Peter Jackson from driving this film off a CGI Cliff.

Peter Jackson's unhealthy obsession with CGI truly drives his film off a cliff in his poor adaptation of the novel "The Lovely Bones" Jackson forgoes the book's intelligence and intricate story and puts in an unhealthy obsession for the sensational that drives a wedged between his actors, who really are working with nothing and the viewer, who is left with a empty feeling after the film is over. The characters are nothing but objects for Jackson to manipulate in order to put in more CGI shots and their story is forfeited for a child like look into death, but with out the reality and complexity of the grieving process.

Rachel Weisz, who is one of the most gifted and versatile actresses working today is giving little to do while in the book, her character is the most complex of the entire novel. Despite this, Weisz does a great job, giving the movie more heart and complexity with the little that she's given to work with than what the film does for itself, making a small dent in the parade of mindless CGI that Jackson puts on screen. Mark Wahlberg faces the same problem, giving a good performance that has no support from the director. Susan Sarandon does as much as humanly possible by giving humanity to her striped down and degraded character, who in the book is much more than the comic relief that Jackson tries to puts on screen and Stanley Tucci manages to give a tight performance as the creepy neighbor despite Jackson's unhealthy obsession to make him the main character of the film. Tucci brings dignity and substance to this character, while Jackson tries to exploit him. Last and not least, Saoirse Ronan does wonders with her role, which also stripped bare from the novel. Her character in the book had a complex innocents that had many layers of conflict while in the film, she's basically held as a angel in Peter Jackson's mind. Jackson puts on rosy color glasses when he deals with the character of Susie and that's where he goes really wrong because he does not make her a real person, he makes her an unreal angel that was with out fault.

Peter Jackson not only hurts his own film but hurts the actors who made an effort to be faithful to the heart of the book as well, making this adaptation very painful to watch.