Review -- The Lady in the Water

NP: Doreen - Old 97s

About three years ago, I was a huge M. Night Shamalayan mark. I thought the twist in The Sixth Sense was amazing, as it was one of the few endings that I didn't see coming. Unbreakable was ok, Signs was pretty good. Then came the Village. The Village was one of the worst movies I have seen in my life, mainly because the twist was weaker than pond water. So you set us up this big story about how this monster eats people beyond the treeline and then the people living in the village turn out to be a bunch of liberal intellectuals who gave up on life and retreated from society. Not very interesting.

I had all this in mind when I went to see the Lady in the Water. I actually had high hopes, the Village not withstanding, and I wasn't too disappointed. There is a subtle, very predictable twist at one point, but the storytelling is much better than his last three movies (still have to give props to the Sixth Sense). I think he has finally figured out that you don't have to have some dramatic twist to make a good movie. The acting in the film is fantastic. Paul Giamatti can flat act, and the supporting ensemble is good as well. The girl who plays the Lady in the Water is kinda ho hum, but she wasn't given much to work with. Mr. Farber is by far the best character for reasons that I won't give away now.

The opening credits, which sorta set up the story, are unbearable. When I saw them, I had Village flashbacks, but fortunately the early story saves it.

In all, 2.5 count. For sure worth seeing in the theater, but won't break any box office records.