THE STORY OF A LIFE AND EVERYTHING THAT CAME AFTER…
In 1973, 14-year-old Susie Salmon (Saoirse Ronan) is murdered by a neighbor (Stanley Tucci); from a place resembling heaven she watches her family cope with the loss… and the killer ponder new victims. Director Peter Jackson’s take on the deeply touching Alice Sebold novel has a brilliant performance by Tucci as the creepy neighbor who desperately tries to come off as friendly, as well as sequences that are exciting and moving. However, the narrative doesn’t flow smoothly enough and some ingredients that should be far more touching suffer from lackluster treatment. The vision of heaven is grand… but clichéd.
2009-U.S.-Britain-New Zealand. 135 min. Color. Widescreen. Directed by Peter Jackson. Screenplay: Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Peter Jackson. Novel: Alice Sebold. Music: Brian Eno. Cinematography: Andrew Lesnie. Cast: Mark Wahlberg (Jack Salmon), Rachel Weisz (Abigail Salmon), Saoirse Ronan (Susie Salmon), Stanley Tucci, Susan Sarandon, Michael Imperioli.
Trivia:Â Helen Hunt was allegedly considered for the part of Abigail; Ryan Gosling was first cast as Jack.
