The Lovely Bones

I read Alice Sebold's marvelous novel The Lovely Bones many years ago. And I was really looking forward to the screen version of the book. But the critics did not give it the best reviews. Let us say that while Peter's Jackson's film is not a great one it is a good one and it held my interest.

This is the story of young Susie Salmon (Saoirse Ronan). She is just fourteen years old when she disappears. And, yes, she is murdered. This is not a mystery. We know all along who her killer is - he is the oddball loner neighbor George Harvey (Stanley Tucci). Part of the film takes place in the in between - in between earth and heaven that is. The other part of the film takes place in the world of Susie's family. Her mother (Rachel Weisz) and father (Mark Wahlberg) have trouble getting their lives back to normal. And who can blame them? There is nothing worse than losing a child.

Does Harvey get caught? If you read the book you know the answer. Although I read the book a number of years ago I seem to remember that a few things were different. But I certainly cannot say what.

All of the acting is fine and Tucci and Ronan are standouts. Tucci is menacing without saying a word. Susan Sarandon is a hoot as the eccentric Grandma Lynn. And the visuals are stunning.

So, all in all, The Lovely Bones is a good film. But I guess that the critics wanted it to be something different.