Review on "The Lovely Bones"

Having recently seen "The Lovely Bones" in theatres, I am inclined to write a very thorough review on all things creeper. Stanley Tucci, in this case, plays as pedophile George Harvey in this rather dramatic thriller. Susie Salmon (Saoirse Ronan), the main character of this story, is a 14-year-old girl who is murdered by her neighbor. The storyline follows Susie as she watches her family, after her death, while they slowly discover the truth about her murder.

The movie itself is very well done, and absolutely makes the audience feel connected in some way.

The first time George Harvey appears on screen, the viewer can feel that something is a bit off. Is it his hair? His glasses? Or is it something else? There is a rather unnerving aura surrounding this strangely polite man. His presence has a way of making people feel uncomfortable in their seats. I felt that Stanley Tucci did an outstanding job of portraying the image that is not so uncommon in today's society. This character really hits home with parents of young children, and brings about a sense of anger and fear. "What if that were my daughter?" they might ask, fearing the fact that there are definitely people such as Mr. Harvey in the real world.

As a viewer of this movie, I absolutely felt that no other actress could have portrayed the part of Susie Salmon as well as Saoirse Ronan did. Her appearance, of course, plays a part in this bias. She looks very kind and innocent, so it is no wonder that she was the girl chosen for the part. Along with her suitable appearance, her excellent acting skills make the story very believable and evokes emotion from the audience.

The supporting cast aids in the presentation of the story, if only minimally. The desperate search that Jack Salmon (Mark Wahlberg) goes through to find some trace evidence of the culprit is frustrating and emanates helplessness. His eldest child has been taken from him in the blink of an eye, and this causes an irreparable hole in his life for quite some time.

Plotwise, "The Lovely Bones" delivered all that needed to be said or shown. Unfortunately, the ending of the movie was lacking a certain something. In the horrific death that was due to Mr. Harvey, and other aspects, the ending was only half-satisfying. However, this by no means makes the movie wasted time. To anyone who has not yet seen "The Lovely Bones", I recommend it. The enthralling story is bound to keep you watching.

Having not read the book prior to watching the movie, it was still very easy to follow. I don't feel the need to read the novel after having seen the movie, as it may ruin the magic.

My rating? A whopping 9 out of a possible 10. The world needs more movies this well made.