The Lovely Bone - Essay Example

The Lovely Bones The Lovely Bones is a film which was adapted by Alice Sebold’s best-seller bookThe Lovely Bones and directed by Peter Jackson. The film is based on the murder of a young girl named Susie Salmon. The story is set in the year 1973 in Pennsylvania where the 14 year old Susie is raped and killed by her neighbor Mr. Harvey. The film has a tinge of supernatural effects as Susie dies and goes to heaven from where she can watch everything that is happening on Earth. More than being a supernatural film, it is about the story of family and relationships particularly after Susie’s death.

The story is set in Pennsylvania where Susie is returning home through a shortcut. Near the cornfield she finds a shelter made by Mr. Harvey who rapes and kills her. Three days later her elbow bone is found by the detective, Len Fenerman who tells this to her parents. Other evidences are found as Susie continues to watch her murderer from the heaven. After Susie’s father meets Mr. Harvey few days after her death, he begins suspecting him and tells his detective. Susie watches everything from haven including her sister Lindsey who breaks into Mr.

Harvey’s house for evidence. Mr. Harvey who now fears he will get caught escapes the town. The case comes to an end as the detective is unable to solve it. Mr. Harvey dies in the end by falling into a crevice. Major changes occur after Susie’s death as her family starts to accept her death. Her parents are extremely sad at their loss and Susie’s father is convinced that Mr. Harvey has killed his daughter. Meanwhile Susie is watching all of this from heaven. Jack Salmon, who wants to find solid evidence against Jack sends Susie’s sister Lindsey to Mr.

Harvey’s house upon which she finds evidence. The family starts drifting apart as Susie’s mother, Abigail has an affair with the detective to her murder case. Abigail leaves her family and goes to live in California. Lindsey grows up and starts a relationship with Samuel. Susie’s grandmother also comes to live in with her father. Jack still does not overcome the anxiety caused by Susie’s loss at which Susie’s brother Buckley tells Jack to focus on him too. After Jack gets a heart attack where Abigail comes to meet him and falls in love with him again.

Towards the end, the family is reunited. Even upon finding no solid evidence against Mr. Harvey initially, Jack is very confident that he is guilty. Jack seems to be too much focused on Susie’s death that it overtakes his life and he can only concentrate on Mr. Harvey which later results in the strained relationship with his wife. In such a case of loss, the anxiety brought by the loss of a dear one makes an individual unable to overcome his problems. This is true as I experienced the same when I lost my cousin in an accident.

Over time, the grief goes away however sometimes it destroys our relationships with the living people. The film is an interesting mix of heavenly and earthly environment where Susie finds her wide heaven. The blend of supernatural elements and the story of the various relationship illustrates how further problems are caused as a person tries to cope up with the loss. Works CitedJackson, Peter, dir. The Lovely Bones. Film4 Productions, 2009. Film.