The Shape of Water (A- or 3.5/4 stars)
Mexican director Guillermo Del Toro has given us a plentitude of visual wonders on the big screen, from his Oscar-winning Pan's Labyrinth to Hellboy and, most recently, Crimson Peak. His love of monsters has imbued much of his work, but no other film of his has attained either the poignant social commentary or the boundless, romantic magic of 'The Shape of Water'. Set in Baltimore at the height of the Cold War/1962, the film centers on Elisa Esposito (remarkable Sally Hawkins), a lonely mute with a sad past who spends her days in her apartment over a movie theater by watching old classics on TV with her similarly lonely, closeted gay neighbor, Giles (Richard Jenkins); closeted in a time when it wasn't easy to admit your sexual preferences.
By midnight, Elisa works as a janitor at a dreary, top-secret aerospace research facility where she cleans alongside her colleague & chatty friend Zelda (Octavia Spencer). Into the story arrives an otherworldly, amphibious humanoid known as The Asset (Doug Jones, a Del Toro mainstay). Found in the Amazon {where he's known as a God}, The Asset is in this lab for experimental space travel purposes under the guidance of cold-hearted Col. Richard Strickland (Michael Shannon). But once Elisa locks eyes with him, he touches her heart and, it begins quite the unusual screen romance; the likes we haven't seen since King Kong & Fay Wray. Drawn to him, Elisa visits the creature; brings him hard-boiled eggs, play him music {they both can hear, but can't speak}, & even teaches him sign language.
But when the sadistic Strickland gets word from his superiors to vivisect the creature for further testing {to get a one-up on the Russians}, Elisa decides to break him out. To this, she enlists the help of Giles, Zelda; & is unexpectedly helped by scientist Hoffstetler (Michael Stuhlbarg), who has his own cloudy reasons for not wanting to see him killed. With the creature living {but slowly dying} in her algae-filled bathtub, Elisa realizes that she must free him. But time is a wastin', Strickland is hot on their heels and, because Elisa & The Asset's connection is so strong, tossing him away into the ocean might be too difficult a notion for her to bear.
What a strange, but strangely affecting & beautiful film this wound up being. When I say strange, I mean: an inherently 'romantic' story that contains stunning bursts of violence, jarring sexuality, and an odd subplot involving severed fingers. Guillermo Del Toro really threw everything he had into this monster-romance flick; which contains a surprisingly powerful story of love, empathy & connecting with someone {or something}. And it's structured - not unlike his masterpiece, Pan's Labyrinth - as a sort of fairy tale {princesses, creatures, mystery, forbidden love, suspense, rabid villains & a magical, melancholy conclusion}. Del Toro, himself, even calls it: "a fairy tale for troubled times; an antidote to NOW". Among other things, it's a timely film about socially-maligned people trying to overcome their 'other-ness'.
This film is sumptuous & looks very expensive, and yet ... it cost 19 million(!) to make. It's beautifully shot by Danish cinematographer Dan Lausten. I loved the use of green in the film. And the thematic uses of water (rain, cooking, bathing, as a force for destruction) is conveyed onscreen beautifully, as well. The set designs are wondrous & varied; the 1960s-era milieu, uniquely adorned apartments, an ornate theater, paintings the research facility. The sound work is noticeable; particularly because our two leads can barely make a noise. The combination of CGI/make-up work on The Asset is incredible. And Alexandre Desplat provides another sweeping musical score. I can see this film being peppered with tech noms at the Academy Awards.
Another Oscar nom could & should go to Sally Hawkins, who is brilliant in her silent film-esque portrayal of a woman who - because she can’t speak {due to a hideous occurrence as a baby}, she sees herself as incomplete - finds love & understanding in a similarly incomplete being. No one else in the world could understand the bond that these two share. While everyone ignores the Elisas or The Assets of the world, they have each other. And she sells the relationship; transforming an inter-species romance into something tangible, delicate & deep. Hawkins is simply heartbreaking & captivating.
Doug Jones brings dignity & humanity to the creature role. Richard Jenkins is lively, fun, but also endearing as the gay artist neighbor who also reaches out for companionship & understanding at a time when it was impossible for him. Octavia Spencer offers comic relief & warmth as Zelda. Michael Shannon is scary & intense, both in the lab and in his home life. He surrre knows how to play these coiled-spring characters, doesn't he? And I also liked Michael Stuhlbarg as the, shall we say, unconventional scientist. The cast goes more broad than subtle, but it works within the confines of the story.
One of my favorite moments of this film is when Elisa pleas with Giles for help & explains why she's taking the risk to save the creature. Through sign language, she imparts, "The way he looks at me, he doesn't know what I lack or how I am incomplete. He sees me for what I am -- as I am. And he is happy to see me every time, every day. I can either save him now, or let him die. I will not let that go." -- powerful stuff. Honestly, the romantic element here touches in a way most ordinary love stories can't. Elisa & The Asset are lonely souls whose hearts find each other; despite their physical limitations. 'TSOW' overcomes its more bizarre narrative aspects to provide relevant themes about love, tolerance and, it enchants from beginning to end.
By midnight, Elisa works as a janitor at a dreary, top-secret aerospace research facility where she cleans alongside her colleague & chatty friend Zelda (Octavia Spencer). Into the story arrives an otherworldly, amphibious humanoid known as The Asset (Doug Jones, a Del Toro mainstay). Found in the Amazon {where he's known as a God}, The Asset is in this lab for experimental space travel purposes under the guidance of cold-hearted Col. Richard Strickland (Michael Shannon). But once Elisa locks eyes with him, he touches her heart and, it begins quite the unusual screen romance; the likes we haven't seen since King Kong & Fay Wray. Drawn to him, Elisa visits the creature; brings him hard-boiled eggs, play him music {they both can hear, but can't speak}, & even teaches him sign language.
But when the sadistic Strickland gets word from his superiors to vivisect the creature for further testing {to get a one-up on the Russians}, Elisa decides to break him out. To this, she enlists the help of Giles, Zelda; & is unexpectedly helped by scientist Hoffstetler (Michael Stuhlbarg), who has his own cloudy reasons for not wanting to see him killed. With the creature living {but slowly dying} in her algae-filled bathtub, Elisa realizes that she must free him. But time is a wastin', Strickland is hot on their heels and, because Elisa & The Asset's connection is so strong, tossing him away into the ocean might be too difficult a notion for her to bear.
What a strange, but strangely affecting & beautiful film this wound up being. When I say strange, I mean: an inherently 'romantic' story that contains stunning bursts of violence, jarring sexuality, and an odd subplot involving severed fingers. Guillermo Del Toro really threw everything he had into this monster-romance flick; which contains a surprisingly powerful story of love, empathy & connecting with someone {or something}. And it's structured - not unlike his masterpiece, Pan's Labyrinth - as a sort of fairy tale {princesses, creatures, mystery, forbidden love, suspense, rabid villains & a magical, melancholy conclusion}. Del Toro, himself, even calls it: "a fairy tale for troubled times; an antidote to NOW". Among other things, it's a timely film about socially-maligned people trying to overcome their 'other-ness'.
This film is sumptuous & looks very expensive, and yet ... it cost 19 million(!) to make. It's beautifully shot by Danish cinematographer Dan Lausten. I loved the use of green in the film. And the thematic uses of water (rain, cooking, bathing, as a force for destruction) is conveyed onscreen beautifully, as well. The set designs are wondrous & varied; the 1960s-era milieu, uniquely adorned apartments, an ornate theater, paintings the research facility. The sound work is noticeable; particularly because our two leads can barely make a noise. The combination of CGI/make-up work on The Asset is incredible. And Alexandre Desplat provides another sweeping musical score. I can see this film being peppered with tech noms at the Academy Awards.
Another Oscar nom could & should go to Sally Hawkins, who is brilliant in her silent film-esque portrayal of a woman who - because she can’t speak {due to a hideous occurrence as a baby}, she sees herself as incomplete - finds love & understanding in a similarly incomplete being. No one else in the world could understand the bond that these two share. While everyone ignores the Elisas or The Assets of the world, they have each other. And she sells the relationship; transforming an inter-species romance into something tangible, delicate & deep. Hawkins is simply heartbreaking & captivating.
Doug Jones brings dignity & humanity to the creature role. Richard Jenkins is lively, fun, but also endearing as the gay artist neighbor who also reaches out for companionship & understanding at a time when it was impossible for him. Octavia Spencer offers comic relief & warmth as Zelda. Michael Shannon is scary & intense, both in the lab and in his home life. He surrre knows how to play these coiled-spring characters, doesn't he? And I also liked Michael Stuhlbarg as the, shall we say, unconventional scientist. The cast goes more broad than subtle, but it works within the confines of the story.
One of my favorite moments of this film is when Elisa pleas with Giles for help & explains why she's taking the risk to save the creature. Through sign language, she imparts, "The way he looks at me, he doesn't know what I lack or how I am incomplete. He sees me for what I am -- as I am. And he is happy to see me every time, every day. I can either save him now, or let him die. I will not let that go." -- powerful stuff. Honestly, the romantic element here touches in a way most ordinary love stories can't. Elisa & The Asset are lonely souls whose hearts find each other; despite their physical limitations. 'TSOW' overcomes its more bizarre narrative aspects to provide relevant themes about love, tolerance and, it enchants from beginning to end.