Using the Five W's to tell you what a film is all about.
The Lovely Bones
WHO: Saoirse Ronan, Mark Wahlberg, Rachel Weisz, Stanley Tucci, Susan Sarandon, Michael Imperioli
WHAT: An ethereal adaptation of the somber novel describing the short life, grizzly murder and afterlife of a 14 year-old girl in the 1970s.
WHEN: 1973, before missing children appeared on milk cartons.
WHERE: Rural Pennsylvania
WHY SEE IT: For the acting (Ronan is captivating) and for the real life moments. Peter Jackson leaned into the effects-driven afterlife rather than exploring more of the raw emotions that oozed from the superb cast. Perhaps he could’ve learned a lesson from James Cameron’s Avatar and waited until the technology was available to place the weight of his film on special effects that couldn’t quite do the job.
FINAL GRADE(S): Real Life: A- ; Afterlife: D+ ; AVERAGE: C+
