Saturday, September 29, 2018

The Shape of Water


The Shape of Water is the Best Picture Oscar winning story of a mute cleaning woman who falls in love with an amphibious man, being held captive at the facility that she works at in Baltimore, during the 1960s.

I found the story to be simple yet unique. It had a little bit of everything in it, sci-fi, romance and drama. The cinematography was very appropriate for the concept of the movie. There was this oceanic hue filter that was in each scene that really helped to keep that theme clear.

I thought that the script was well written and that the acting from the entire cast was entertaining. I liked that this was a female driven script with Sally Hawkins & Octavia Spencer taking the lead. Hawkins portrayal of the mute Elisa Esposito was phenomenal. Without words she was able to convey this very strong willed, curious, empathetic and courageous woman. Octavia Spencer played, Zelda Fuller, fellow cleaning lady, close friend, protector and confidant to Elisa. Though it felt a bit like a type cast for her, I still found her role to be full of depth and properly delivered. It was also nice to see fellow Boardwalk Empire alums, Michael Shannon and Michael Stuhlbarg in the movie. Shannon, I am noticing, is also starting to get type cast with his role as the ruthless and cruel Richard Strickland. Stuhlbarg played a more unique role as the as the smart and caring scientist, Dr. Robert Hoffstetler.

Even though I enjoyed this movie and I liked that it was different, I don’t know if I would have necessarily have awarded this film Best Picture. In part because I think the script had missed a key piece about the civil rights movement. There were a couple of hints made toward the movement and the ongoing segregation within the city of Baltimore, throughout the film, however it was never properly divulged into. I would have liked that backdrop to have had a clearer presence in the film and more of a discussion around how it affected the lives of the characters.

Although that historical detail was missed, I still think that those looking for something off the beaten path would definitely enjoy this one. Therefore, I would still recommend checking this movie out.

No comments:

Post a Comment