The Lovely Bones

Best picture chances

Jackson leaves the fantasy milieu for which he won his Oscars and tackles Alice Sebold’s popular and challenging novel about the murder of a teenage girl in 1973 Pennsylvania and the aftermath for her family and murderer. While critics’ opinions have been mixed on the film, Jackson’s name will make it a must-see for awards voters.

What Screen said

“While The Lovely Bones is as dark as it gets thematically, it will still be an event movie for the adult audience. Both Jackson and the novel have myriad fans who will be eager to see what the New Zealand master has done with it… Jackson captures the grim essence of the novel even while compressing much of its character development and plot detail. And if the rhythm is problematic, his film-making bravado is constantly in evidence, most notably in the heart-stopping scene when Lindsey breaks into Harvey’s house. Jackson’s eye for the period detail is impeccable, and he has cast a young and exciting actress in the leading role: 15-year-old Irish ingénue Saoirse Ronan.”

Mike Goodridge