Style Weekly
Metaphysician/Medium Peers Into “Lovely Bones”
Special effects have come a long way toward helping us visualize outer and inner space, and now it helps us explore a world beyond the physical in “The Lovely Bones” (“Paradise Embossed,” Arts & Culture, Jan. 13). I am not a movie critic, but as a metaphysician and medium who “sees” that other world, I believe Peter Jackson did an amazing job of portraying Susie Salmon's experience — a series of “constructs” her consciousness created as it clung to her earthly experience before moving on to who knows where.
Clearly, film critic Wayne Melton does not care for this movie genre, but his enthusiasm to criticize overlooks the here-and-now story of how tragedy effects and changes people as well as the possibilities of what does happen when one dies, even a horrible death. The movie version is as thought-provoking as the book and, quite possibly, this world would be a better place if we gave more thought — and dialogue — to its story.
In my humble opinion, Saoirse Ronan was perfect as Susie, a teenager naive both in the physical world and the afterlife; Mark Wahlberg was totally believable as an analytical accountant whose life was shattered beyond reason; Susan Sarandon was a hoot as the off-the-wall mother-in-law; and watching Lindsey grow beyond her parents was a great twist as was Mr. Harvey's (the raping, murdering neighbor) “instant karmic” moment.
“The Lovely Bones” is a chillingly horrific story but told like a Greek tragedy (with much of the blood and gore off-stage). And while it flashes back and forth between the physical world and the afterlife, I believe audiences are smart enough to follow the plot. I looked forward to the movie as an avid fan of the book and I look forward to seeing it again and again as well as more movies in this genre.
Carole Louie
Glen Allen
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