The Lovely Bones

About The Lovely Bones

The Lovely Bones, released in 2009, is a drama and thriller movie directed by Peter Jackson and is based on Alice Sebold's best-selling novel of the same name. The story revolves around a 14-year-old girl, Susie Salmon, who becomes a victim to a tragic crime and watches upon her family and her killer from purgatory. Susie, in her unique in-between world, ruminates over her short-lived life while her family slowly begins to heal, unable to comprehend Susie's death. The place that Susie inhabits is a manifestation of her desires, dreams, and experiences which shift unpredictably, just like the emotions of the people she watches from above.

Making / Production

The film is a co-production between companies from United States, United Kingdom, and New Zealand. The special effects and the unique imagery of the movie were worked upon by the renowned Weta Digital, notable for their work in other Peter Jackson's films such as The Lord of the Rings series. The movie was filmed both in the United States and New Zealand.

Actors

• Saoirse Ronan as Susie Salmon: Saoirse beautifully portrayed the character of Susie, capturing her youthful spirit and the tragedy of her untimely death.
• Mark Wahlberg as Jack Salmon: Mark thoroughly embodied the role of a loving father haunted by the loss of his daughter.
• Rachel Weisz as Abigail Salmon: Rachel convincingly played the role of the grieving mother, struggling to cope with the loss of her child.
• Stanley Tucci as George Harvey: Stanley delivered a chilling performance as the antagonist, truly embodying the character's terrifying nature.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The film was nominated for numerous awards, including an Academy award.
• Peter Jackson purchased the rights for the film before the novel was officially published.
• Character Susie Salmon is always seen in the film wearing something purple, which symbolizes her spiritual presence.

Awards

The movie received several nominations. Stanley Tucci was nominated for various awards for his performance, including an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

Quotes

• "My name is Salmon, like the fish. First name: Susie. I was 14 years old, when I was murdered, on December 6th, 1973. I was here for a moment. And then I was gone."
• "In the air, I was free."
• "You are beautiful, Susie Salmon. I could not have known you. You have never been born."

Music, Soundtrack

• The atmospheric and haunting score was composed by Brian Eno.
• The movie's soundtrack also features songs from popular artists of the '60s and '70s, helping to set the movie in its correct temporal context.