| THE LOVELY BONES |
| Written by Sian Rafferty |
| Monday, 04 January 2010 07:31 |
 Ever since he blew into the stratosphere with 'Lord Of The Rings' and firmly put Gods Zone on the map, Peter Jackson has been known as that jolly, hobbit-like man who spent his childhood shooting King Kong in his back yard with clay figurines and a super 8mm camera. So at first it did seem surprising that his next subject would be another literary adaptation, one so very different to 'Lord Of The Rings' that his motives were almost unimaginable. Yet this film is definitely a triumph for Jackson and a big reminder that this man does story, just as well as CGI. The magnificent crafting of ‘THE LOVELY BONES’ is a tribute to his creative genius - and another reason why Jackson is firmly at the top of the list of New Zealand’s most magnanimous prodigal sons. ‘The Lovely Bones’ is not a film you expect to exit from with a smile on your face. Based on the novel of the same name by Alice Sebold, it follows the story of Susie Salmon, who is brutally raped and murdered. She then finds herself in the in-between, left watching her family try and come to terms with her death, while she herself struggles to find the will to move on.  Anyone who has read the novel knows that Sebold, speaking from personal experience, creates a haunting and traumatic portrayal of Susie’s death. One of the things I most liked about the film was the careful handling of the subject matter. Although equally as disturbing as the novel, Jackson never falls into the cinematic trap of having to visualise every little thing for the audience. We never see Susie die; as Jackson, in a way, trusts the audience’s imagination to add to the story.  The casting of the film couldn’t be more perfect. Saoirse Ronan had already proved in ‘Atonement’ that she is an actress old for her years - and could perfectly handle playing a child, forced by her own naivety into the terrible adult world. Stanley Tucci is almost totally unrecognisable as Susie’s killer George Harvey, and is so creepy and perverted that it’s lucky he wears contacts and a wig. If not, I highly doubt he could ever walk down the street again without being spat at. Casting Susan Sarandon as Susie’s slightly out of touch grandmother and Mark Wahlberg as Susie’s father are all picture-perfect. Each plays their part in this fractured suburban world with all their heart and you truly feel for this broken family.  True to Jackson’s manic attention-to-detail style, everything in Susie’s world is incredibly stylised and beautiful. Everything has a dream like rose-tinted quality to it, from the soft red of Susie’s hair to the blue, cloudless sky. These are colours I have come to associate with memories of childhood. Yet at the edges of every scene linger dark shadows, like dying corn fields and puddles of grey water, a powerful reminder of the sweet and sour paradox which is ‘The Lovely Bones’. Jackson has created another masterpiece which definitely lives up to the book. Never, does he attempt to water down the story for the sake of selling it to a wider audience. Yet at the same time he treads carefully, treating this little story which will break hearts worldwide, with complete and utter dignity.  |
