Movie: Lovely Bones

[Retriever Mama]

I did read the book...ages ago. The plot is a little blurry and the details even fuzzier. Which I guess is a good thing because I heard avid fans were up in arms over Peter Jackson film of Alice Sebolds hit novel.

It is the tale of a 14 year old girl who was murdered in 1973 by a serial killer in her neighborhood. It is about her not being able to move on, but is stuck in this fantastical "in-between" region before moving on to heaven. She can't let go of her family and life on earth. So she hangs arounds and watches the aftermath of her death and the search for her killer. The close loving relationship she had with her dad was what I found most poignant. I remember loving the book and just finding it heart wrenching. Sobbing uncontrollably at points.

The movie? Not so wrenching. Peter Jackson, a whiz at special effects, had a great deal of fun with the "in-between" and made it a fantastical vivid place of floating fields and moving landscapes. I felt that just as you started getting into the meat of the movie...her family imploding over her loss...we had this Willy Wonka wonderland inserted in the middle. And Susan Sarandon. I don't really remember her character from the book. So I certainly don't remember her drunken cleaning montage that was thrown in the movie for comic relief.

Stanley Tucci was wonderful as the guy-next-door-who's -really-creepy-but-hides-it-well. And Saoirse Ronan (Atonement) was just beautiful as the lost Susie Salmon. She has an ethereal quality to her already...I am loving watching her grow up on film.

So...good rental. 3 STARS.

If you remember the book better than I? Let me know your complaints.

[ShadecreekLabs]

I thought it was a good movie...not the best, but the scene where the girls are running through the field really got to me. That song didn't help either. Have yet to read the book, but from what I've heard it's a lot better, so will have to look into that here soon.

[Cheley]

I read the book about a month before I saw the movie (which was when it first came out in theatres). I thought the movie was good - not great. Loved the book, but there were several things that IMO were key points in the book that they totally left out of the movie. I won't go into detail in case someone wants to read the book and likes surprises.

Thought Mr Harvey in the movie was super creepy - excellent choice in casting.

Obviously the book is much, much better but I thought they did a decent job of turning it into a movie.