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The Lovely Bones (2009)

PG-13 | | Drama, Fantasy | 15 January 2010 (USA)
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Centers on a young girl who has been murdered and watches over her family - and her killer - from purgatory. She must weigh her desire for vengeance against her desire for her family to heal.

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(screenplay), (screenplay) | 2 more credits »
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998 ( 137)
Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 9 wins & 43 nominations. See more awards »

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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Carolyn Dando ...
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Holly (as Nikki Soohoo)
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Storyline

A 14-year-old girl in suburban 1970's Pennsylvania is murdered by her neighbor. She tells the story from the place between Heaven and Earth, showing the lives of the people around her and how they have changed all while attempting to get someone to find her lost body. Written by Anonymous

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Taglines:

The story of a life and everything that came after...

Genres:

Drama | Fantasy

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for mature thematic material involving disturbing violent content and images, and some language | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

 »
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Details

Country:

| |

Language:

Release Date:

15 January 2010 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

In meinem Himmel  »

Box Office

Budget:

$65,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$116,616 (USA) (11 December 2009)

Gross:

$43,982,842 (USA) (5 March 2010)
 »

Company Credits

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Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

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Color:

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1
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Did You Know?

Trivia

Helen Hunt was reportedly considered for the role of Abigail Salmon. Instead, Rachel Weisz accepted the role, and was the first actor cast in the film. See more »

Goofs

Vietnamese immigration was limited to families of servicemen prior to 1975, however, there are almost no details given about Holly's character; there is evidence to contradict that she had a serviceman parent as she does not have an Anglo family name. See more »

Quotes

[first lines]
Susie Salmon: [voiceover] I remember being really small; too small to see over the edge of a table. There was a snow globe, and I remember the penguin who lived inside the globe. He was all alone in there, and I worried for him.
See more »

Connections

Referenced in 30 Rock: Don Geiss, America and Hope (2010) See more »

Soundtracks

First Light
Written by Brian Eno and Harold Budd
Performed by Brian Eno and Harold Budd
Courtesy of Virgin Records Ltd.
Under license from EMI Film & Television Music
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Frequently Asked Questions

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User Reviews

 
This is a great, great, great movie.
30 April 2010 | by (Los Angeles, California) – See all my reviews

I'd like to preface my review with a comment about the negativity circulating around here about this movie. I don't think it's any coincidence that some of these self-appointed "film-making experts" who have nothing remotely positive to say about Jackson's effort cannot formulate complete sentences. It's not surprising at all that someone obsessed with the wetness of a prop in one scene and its dryness in the next lacks the faculty and capacity to appreciate the many merits of this film. It's ridiculous to knit-pick on 'unrealistic' depictions of this aspect of day to day life or that aspect. If you want a realistic depiction of day to day life, observe the world around you, not a movie screen.

The Lovely Bones is being unfairly hammered as maudlin drivel. Some of the concepts and visuals are on the representational side, but if you take this film as a strange amalgam of a murder/suspense thriller and a fantasy in the vein of a children's book, it all works perfectly. The emotional outpouring is portrayed very well by all the players involved. None of it seemed forced. I became emotionally invested early on and the overall impact of this work struck a chord in me that resonated deeply.

More than anything else, this film is unique. Jackson takes many chances when one considers all the traditionally accepted conventions of film making, but unless you are one of those self-absorbed, self-important film student types who endlessly struggle with the "rules of making good films," you'll get something out of this.

The use of CGI was adventurous to be sure, but if one views this piece as an interpretation of life, love, and death through a fantastical lens, then the effects remain harmonious to the telling of the story. More, the CGI in this case describes 'world's unseen,' metaphysical possibilities existing simultaneously without the bounds of physical space and time. A welcome departure from space ships and crumbling cities. Some of the nastiest complaints about the CGI are coming from people who probably have no problem with giant robots that transform into cars and trucks.

Acceptance of a fictional story, the suspension of disbelief, these events occur in the relationship between a movie and its viewer… completely apart from all the rules of pacing, subtext, and all the rigid pigeonholes that don't really apply to the creative process anyway. I did not find the Lovely Bones to be maudlin, and I am a pretty jaded movie-viewer.


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Why do guys consider this a 'chick flick'? tidalwaves1
how do we know she was raped? grace14-3
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Quite possibly one of the worst movies ever made. roughrider59-914-461741
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This film really blew me away, loved it!!!! kd344
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