The Lovely Bones

Reviewed by Film Editor Barry Benintende

The Lovely Bones / Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Reece Ritchie, Rachel Weisz, Mark Wahlberg / 135 minutes

Saying Peter Jackson knows how to direct a movie is similar to saying Michelangelo knows how to paint a ceiling; both are accurate statements that fall far short of the whole story. The Lovely Bones is Jackson's most recent film and it would be an understatement to say that it is incredible. That however, does not mean this is an easy movie to watch. The Lovely Bones is equal parts tough and rewarding.

Based on the Alice Sebold best-selling novel, Bones the movie is one of the most anticipated films of the year. Most of the comments prior to the film’s release were positive, but the movie also received plenty of advance criticism for not showing the rape and murder of a 14 year-old girl as it was depicted in the novel. After sitting through three Saw films, and an episode of Keeping Up With The Kardashians I have seen all the gore I need for one lifetime, and Jackson allows the moviegoer to see enough of Susie Salmon's murder to know that it happened, while your imagination figures out the rest. I for one am grateful for the restraint which Jackson demonstrated in his filmmaking. As was the case with Alfred Hitchcock’s movies, it is what you do not see which frightens you and adds to that sickening feeling in your stomach. The eeriness is heightened as Susie tries to figure out life between heaven and earth.

The film which is set in 1973, a time when the Partridge Family was attracting a lot of attention both for their music and their television series, provides the springboard for our introduction to the adorable young Irish actress Saoirse Ronan who received an Oscar nomination for her compelling role in Atonement. Ronan portrays the freckled Susie Salmon and she brings a sweet, natural radiance to her character, whose bedroom wall has a poster of teen idol David Cassidy of the Partridge Family. She has a brother and sister whom she loves. She also loves taking photos and she has a shoebox full of undeveloped film.

Susie's mom and dad are played by Rachel Weisz and Mark Wahlberg and both actors are better in their roles than they have been in other films for many years. Wahlberg is believable as the dad who comes unglued as he tries to solve his daughter’s murder, while Weisz’s facial expressions and her profound silence evoke a much stronger response from the viewer than dialogue ever could. Detective Len Fenerman played by Michael Imperioli of the hit show The Sopranos, befriends the couple and he successfully makes the break from his television character. Weisz, Whalberg and Imperioli discover good chemistry and Jackson keeps the living world grounded and that helps to keep the plot moving forward.

Susan Sarandon is serviceable as the hard-drinking, heavy smoking grandma.

In Peter Jackson’s movie, the killer, George Harvey takes on a more prominent role than in the book, and actor Stanley Tucci is at his creepiest as the murderer. Tucci’s acting is so provocative that this reviewer left the theater cursing him under my breath. As you watch Harvey carefully plan his underground murder site, complete with board games, candles and soda, all of which are intended to lure the unsuspecting Susie, the mood is unsettling.

At times The Lovely Bones is a difficult movie to watch, but it is a great film.

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

Reviewed January 2010

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Riveting Riffs Magazine's Film Editor Barry Benintende is a freelance journalist living in San Diego. He is happily married with two sons, a daughter two cats and a Terrier named Jack.