Directed by Peter Jackson
Starring Mark Wahlberg, Saoirse Ronan, Rachel Weisz, Susan Sarandon, Stanley Tucci, Michael Imperioli

Honestly, I don't know what I was expecting out of this film, that almost feels like a vanity project from it's esteemed director. The Lovely Bones is by no means a bad movie, but at times you do find yourself wondering what is the point of it's existence, because all Jackson seems to want to bring across are the magnificent visuals and not much anything else.

The story follows Susie Salmon, a schoolgirl who falls as a victim of Tucci's serial killer and she ends up in the space between our world and heaven, while her family desperately tries to find the man responsible for her demise. The film is luckily not without emotional punch and at times Susie's wild adventures and journeys in the afterlife are truly touching, though mainly capturing thanks to the imaginative (and in this case, important) use of special effects. As effective as Susie's new world is, if you want emerge your mind into a world that's not ours, I'd personally still recommend the impressive visual masterpiece, The Cell, over this.

 The absolute best that the film has to offer are Susan Sarandon as the chainsmoking, bottle hitting and cool grandmother of the Salmon's and especially Stanley Tucci in his Oscar-nominated performance as the killer from across the street. His performance is what I personally find respectable in an actor: the ability to be truly something different and transform yourself into that other character with new mannerisms.

KITEYTETTYNÄ SINIVALKOISILLE
Kaikista aivottomimmat LOTR-fanit tulevat aina antamaan Jacksonille kaiken anteeksi, mutta totuus tästä meillä Oma Taivas-nimellä kulkevasta elokuvasta on, että se on auttamattomasti vain keskitasoa ja sitäkin upean visuaalisen kekseliäisyytensä ja parin loistavan sivuosasuorituksen ansiosta.


IMDb