The latest beautiful film by the dark fairy tale fantasy director Guillermo del Toro reminds me of hearing 40 year olds talk about what they got out of going to college . It seems that you get what you put into it. I'd claim the same goes for this collective homage film that will certainly open your eyes through many theatrical portals. I found an immediate thought of the French movie "Amelie" due to the quiet nature of our protagonist and the smart and artful use of color. It's a romantic viewing for those who appreciate such things and yearn for a better nature in ourselves. This 1960's period piece, set in Baltimore, Maryland, certainly doesn't look like any John Waters film I ever saw, but the small city with a chip on it's shoulder is carried well by the outsider and monster of the movie played by Michael Shannon. Yes, his characters' depth won't go past wading levels, but the fim isn't about character depth, and the story is the star. The movie has a collective voice of characters who, although silenced by the social indignities of that time, rose above themselves for the greater good. Octavia Spencer is understated but is our eyes as an outsider and our conscience as a friend. The only person who this doesn't hold true is Elisa, our protagonist, part mousey mute and part "quite female" to say the least. She's daring on a number of issues, but it feels as for personal gain, despite the pure heart angle. I will watch this again to see if I come away with that same sentiment.
The "asset" is more reminicent of the Watchmans' Dr. Manhattan in it's perfect masculine form, allowing the romance to be "somewhat" believable, but it does appear one-sided for the majority of the film, so not sure how to handle the folks grabbing their pitchforks about their time with the film. If you love film beauty and are willing to spend time away from your everyday troubles, this flick works in it's own way. Predictable, sure, but vividly engaging!
