Rated PG-13 for some frightening sequences.
110 Minutes
Written and Directed By: M. Night Shyamalan
Staring: Paul Giamatti, Bryce Dallas Howard, Jeffrey Wright, Cindy Cheung, M. Night Shyamalan, Sarita Choudhury, Noah Gray-Cabey, Bill Irwin, and Mary Beth Hurt
Staring: Paul Giamatti, Bryce Dallas Howard, Jeffrey Wright, Cindy Cheung, M. Night Shyamalan, Sarita Choudhury, Noah Gray-Cabey, Bill Irwin, and Mary Beth Hurt
Mr. Leeds, it’s time we prove that some stories are real! -Young-Soo Cho
Review
Writer and director Shyamalan seems to have the same type of following as a Stephen King or perhaps Tim Burton fans. People who are loyal to what he does and appreciates his very specific form of art. I would include myself in that category, but even I have to say that Lady In Water was probably his most self indulgent piece of work yet. Apartment building superintendent Cleveland Heep rescues what he thinks is a young woman from the pool he maintains. When he discovers that she is actually something mystical and unknown, he works with his tenants to protect his new friend from the creatures that do not want her to return.
Lady In Water is orchestrated in the same dramatic, almost eerie feel all of Shyamalan’s films are created, and a topic of great myth or mystery becomes the structure of the story. The fantasy aspects of his film, of mythology or the unknown interacting in normal life with the everyday man is the most compelling part of Shyamalan’s story’s, but this one missed the mark more than once. There are some funny moments when the character Harry Farber is often condemning the way movies are created these days and how unoriginal they are. It does offer a chuckle or two, but after enough remarks it is clear this is how Shyamalan feels about most of his peers in the film industry and almost becomes annoying. While the character suffers an interesting fate, I can’t help but feel the overwhelming personal agitation take over the story when he was onscreen.
Length is usually not a problem for me with Shyamalan’s films either, but Lady In The Water did carry on for too long. Moments that otherwise would have felt magical and intense were lost to a feeling of lost anticipation. The beats and pacing were off throughout the entire telling of Cleveland and his Narf.
It was disappointing because there was a lot of great things about Lady In The Water, things that are typical of Shyamalan’s more successful work. The ability to intertwine mystery and everyday life together so naturally is an amazing gift that he wields brilliantly. Because of the way his stories are told the impossible almost suddenly seems possible. His character’s have incredible depth and ability to relate or empathize with, and he isn’t afraid to take the time necessary to really develop them so they become three dimensional. The subtle ways he implies horror or fear is something many other films could take a cue from. The way his films are shot have an eerie texture that are unique to each of his stories and yet somehow feel connected. His movies are without the restraints of mainstream Hollywood. Lady In The Water incorporated all of those brilliant qualities, unfortunately the parts it failed in did distract from these moments.
Generally character’s from Shyamalan’s films are easy to connect with, having realistic qualities or the time is taken to develop them enough that they become easy to sympathize with. Lady In Water was no exception to this general rule. Cleveland Heep was a deeply sad, broken man who had been threw too many awful things to have anymore hope in life. Each of the residents seemed to have something holding them back, that Story gave them belief or hope in. It was a great ensemble cast, and Paul Giamatti was exceptional. The only person that didn’t really fit was Vick Ran, and I had issues with Shyamalan playing him. It seemed a bit egotistical to give himself, who is not a great actor, such an important role. A role that basically implied his writing would one day change and influence the whole world with it’s profound thoughts. It felt like Shyamalan was projecting his own personal ideals about himself into the universe in the story again.
Though the pacing was a distraction, and Shyamalan’s personal homages to himself became annoying, Lady In Water was a decent movie. It had some great story telling elements, visually was stimulating, and had character’s to care about. On the lesser side of Shyamalan’s work, it still was better than half the crap out there today. This is worth catching on cable or even a rental on a rainy day.
i agree, these types of filmmakers have a following and usually stick up for their body of work no matter how terrible it is. Everyone I know loves this movie and they say because its a bedtiem story for his kids its justifiable. I agree completely with your rating, great review!
It had some good typical M. Nightmare moments in it, but overall it was dragged out, his character he had playing pretty much himself (talk about delusions of grandeur) and some of the directions the story took ruined it. I am a fan of a lot of what he does, and maybe that’s why I hold high standards for them, but because he’s capable I feel like he SHOULD rise to the occasion.
I admit to liking almost everything of Tim Burton’s though. That man is freaking genius.
I’m surprised you gave it two stars, Heather. I didn’t care for the flick. This is not the worse of M. Night’s career, but it’s not “Sixth Sense” or “Unbreakable”.
What at least won me over in one direction was the concept and the mood. I was really taken in by the whole idea, and the mood was incredibly tangible. It just dragged far too slowly and turned into a self promoting flick. I felt like there was potential that was squandered. I agree with you though, not even close to Unbreakable or The Sixth Sense.
Because of my Paul Giamatti rule (a version of the William H. Macy/Steve Buscemi rule), I plan to watch this. One of the things I’m looking forward to is experiencing the mood you talked about, Heather — from the trailers, the film LOOKS really impressive. But maybe this is M. Night Shyamalan’s love letter to himself. Really “out there” directors have a tendency to make those now and again — look at “Funny People.”