Reviews

Lady in the Water

Do I start with the people at Disney being wrong for passing on this picture or critics being way to harsh on it? M. Night is a mixed bag whose work ranges from fantastic to fart. Unbreakable is a deeply enjoyable and grownup take on the superhero genre. Signs was lame and stagnant. I’m not biased when it comes to Shyamalan’s work so I had no preconceptions when I purchased my ticket for Lady in the Water.

What the viewer needs to keep in mind while watching Lady in the Water is Shyamalan based it on a story he wrote for his children. Critics say the mythology of the film gets down right silly at times. I have to agree but wouldn’t you expect that in what is essentially a modern day fairy tale? Why not complain about the three little pigs? We all know pigs are not building homes and wolves don’t blow them down. If you’re a fan of Jonathan Carroll’s books check out Lady In the Water. If you’re a fan of M. Night Shyamalan read one of Jonathan Carroll’s books. Jonathan Carroll refers to this type of storytelling as hyper fiction. I couldn’t come up with a better description myself. Reality does not always apply in these stories and you have to be willing to accept this and run with the story.

If you’ve made it this far and you can handle a fantasy story with an urban backdrop where anything can happen, you’re going to have a good time. Paul Giamatti plays an apartment building superintendent who is beyond awkward. More awkward than Haley Joel Osment driving a 96 Saturn station wagon into a brick mailbox. Giamatti’s life becomes entangled with a mysterious woman who he thinks is just trespassing for a night swim. As he learns more about the woman he discovers she is really part of a children’s story.

The plot revolves around trying to get the lady in the water, whose name is Story, back to her home world. Getting Story home is easier said than done when wolf like creatures begin stalking her. Something John Cusack can relate to. While the story does go into more depth than this Lady is the first Shymalan movie without a major plot twist. So what. I’m glad he didn’t attempt to throw another switch-a-roo on the audience. For me plot twists loose their punch if I know it’s coming.

Plot twists aside Lady in the Water has an amazing ensamble of actors. I always dug Paul Giamatti’s work (not just because we look alike either) who has a real talent for depth and emotion. Even more than how he delivers his lines, his expressions convey real human emotion. Giamatti never looks like he’s acting or waiting for his turn to speak again. Bryce Howard nails the child like innocence and demeanor of Story. She comes off as naive and sweet while carrying out her duties. Given the mission Story is on her character could have been confident to the point of arrogant. Bryce really gives her character a gentle and likable quality.

There are going to be moments that are silly. Characters will be willing to go along with scenarios real people would balk at. Some of the characters personalities are heavy handed and unnecessary. But the film is so enjoyable I let it slide. There’s nothing wrong with enjoying a good children’s movie. If anything movies like Lady in the Water could get children to think more creatively opposed to the same six kid movies that keep getting remade with a new title slapped on them. Go see Lady in the Water and don’t be so uptight. M. Night manages to make an enjoyable fantasy movie that doesn’t insult the audience. I officially forgive him for Signs… (Signs SPOILER) really, if water killed the aliens what were they doing running around in cornfields in the middle of the night? Dew would have been collecting… duh.
8.5/10
Andy

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