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What Screams May Come

A 14-year-old girl is raped and murdered by a pedophile in "The Lovely Bones," not quite the feel-good film of the year. Some critics really despise it, deeming it style over substance and cursing Peter Jackson for leaving the brutal scenes from Alice Sebold's book to the imagination. (Wait a sec -- they wanted to see a child sexually assaulted and killed?) I don't share their disdain -- in fact, "The Lovely Bones" really got to me.

That's not to say it's a perfect film, but it's certainly a powerful one. It borrows elements from "Ghost" and "Our Town," and throws them into a colorful world of razzle-dazzle like the one in "What Dreams May Come." Set in 1973, "The Lovely Bones" follows Susie Salmon ("Atonement's" Saoirse Ronan) before and after her forced exit from the planet. She's a regular girl -- fond of taking countless photographs, embarrassed by the knitted winter hat her mom (Rachel Weisz) makes her wear, and smitten with a curly-haired senior (Reece Ritchie).

Paul McCartney's "Another Day" plays on her final morning. On her way home to dinner, a creepy neighbor (Stanley Tucci) lures her into his secret chamber in the ground, beckoning her to "be polite." Her life ends there. Ruth (Carolyn Dando), the girl next door, has a strange connection to the deceased and can tell she is occupying the "in-between," another way to describe purgatory. Susie doesn't feel ready to move on to heaven until she can help her family track down her killer, "the solitary man who lives in the green house." Her distraught father (Mark Wahlberg) in particular is nowhere near ready to let go.

"The Lovely Bones" is a sort of fantastical, sentimental horror movie, which left me both sad to the point of tears and deeply queasy. Susan Sarandon's comedic role helps to ease the trauma of it all, as does seeing "The Soprano's" Christopher (Michael Imperioli) on the other side of the law, playing a detective. But like a shot of wheatgrass, this film doesn't go down easy.

Nor should it. The script by Jackson, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens aims to frighten viewers and tug at their heart strings, and it excels at both. Jackson takes a page out of his own "Heavenly Creatures" and makes the film look absolutely gorgeous, a dreamlike playground for the eyes. The standout actor here is Tucci, who many may not recognize after his lovey-dovey supporting role in this year's "Julie & Julia." He is menacing and harrowing in "The Lovely Bones," the kind of monster you pray won't move anywhere near your zip code.

"The Lovely Bones" is not for the faint of heart, but there's a good chance it will make yours hurt a bit. That and you'll want to hug everyone you love for just a few extra moments.