The Lovely Bones

The Lovely Bones is a powerful film. Peter Jackson (Lord Of the Rings, King Kong) directs the film version of Alice Sebold's bestselling novel The Lovely Bones. The entire cast is stellar, including Mark Wahlberg and Rachel Weisz as Susie's parents, Stanley Tucci as the neighbour and Susan Sarandon as the wisecracking grandmother.

The film takes some big departures from the book, as many critics have pointed out, but it works well on its own merits. In addition, many viewers felt that the story was marred by Peter Jackson’s liking for CGI which is prevalent in the film. In short, if you haven't read the book then watch the film, if you have read the book then just be warned - it may not be all that you want.

The Lovely Bones centres on a young girl who has been murdered by a man in her neighbourhood and then watches over her family and her killer from heaven. She must weigh her desire for vengeance against her desire for her family to heal.

Susie Salmon (Saoirse Ronan), the 14-year-old girl who is murdered early in the film, narrates the action from her "in-between place" after dying but before going to heaven.

Cinema release 2009

Certificate 12

Available on DVD and Blue Ray