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The Lovely Bones

Play trailer 2:25 Poster for The Lovely Bones PG-13 2010 2h 16m Drama Mystery & Thriller Fantasy Play Trailer Watchlist
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31% Tomatometer 246 Reviews 52% Popcornmeter 250,000+ Ratings
After being brutally murdered, 14-year-old Susie Salmon (Saoirse Ronan) watches from heaven over her grief-stricken family (Mark Wahlberg, Rachel Weisz) -- and her killer (Stanley Tucci). As she observes their daily lives, she must balance her thirst for revenge with her desire for her family to heal.

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The Lovely Bones

The Lovely Bones

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Critics Consensus

It's stuffed full of Peter Jackson's typically dazzling imagery, but The Lovely Bones suffers from abrupt shifts between horrific violence and cloying sentimentality.

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Critics Reviews

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Shubhra Gupta The Indian Express 04/16/2019
2/5
Both [Saoirse] Ronan and [Stanley] Tucci are worth the price of an admission ticket. Go to Full Review Candice Frederick Reel Talk Online 09/12/2017
B+
It's an interesting way to tell a heartbreaking story a young girl whose life was taken away too soon, and whose family fights to pull the pieces together after their loss. Go to Full Review Ian Freer Empire Magazine 02/19/2010
4/5
The Lovely Bones does a fantastic job with revered, complex source material. As terrific on terra firma as it is audacious in its astral plane, it is doubtful we'll see a more imaginative, courageous film in 2010. Go to Full Review Kenneth R. Morefield 1More Film Blog Oct 28
1/4
As feel-good child murder movies go, The Lovely Bones hits all its marks. Go to Full Review Patrick Cavanaugh The Wolfman Cometh Sep 9
2/5
Sometimes books should really stay books, no matter how lauded they might be, as translating meditative reflections on death from the page to the big screen don't work (like in this movie). Go to Full Review Ezequiel Obregón EscribiendoCine 02/03/2025
6/10
...The Lovely Bones manages to move audiences and show that Jackson is a daring director, who still has a lot to say. [Full review in Spanish] Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Marissa T @RT56814712 15h Literally the best if you love a film about serial killers and deep feelings of I have any movie to recommend this is the one See more Claire M @RT01732244 1d I don't understand why both critics and viewers rated The Lovely Bones poorly. Maybe they need to read the book first. It is an uneven film but the book purposely uses the tragedy to present a different perspective of life and humanity. For me, Mark Wahlberg represented the father as written in the book very well. It's a story covering many important topics. Don't get caught up in just the initial event that is the catalyst for remembering to appreciate the people you love and the fragility of life. See more Rosemary (Rose) F @RT40233686 Apr 2 Still confused about what I just watched, such a one-star movie that it deserves five. See more Merle T @perle Mar 3 Heartbreaking but interesting representation See more shaneka a @Unforgettablemoment Feb 15 This movie was long and engaging until I got to the end, I sat here and watched this movie for it end like this. See more Isabella C @beewatchestoomanymovies Jan 27 read the book and i was excited to watch the movie afterwards, i ended up just being so disappointed. i feel like i cant even describe how poorly the director interpreted the book. all of the character and plot development so carefully crafted in the book was entirely abandoned, which just made the entire movie feel heartless and poorly paced. i understand when directors need to change a few things to be able to condense a 300 page book into a ninety minute movie, but it felt like they didn't even try to understand the themes of the book and why it was structured and paced the way it was. i didn't think the visuals accomplished anything other than looking cool (for susie's heaven). there were certain points i just felt like i was watching a commercial. from start to finish i wanted the movie to be over. its such a shame to waste actors like saoirse and tucci on a movie like this. just because you start and end a movie with the same lines doesnt mean it's poetic or wraps up nicely. See more Read all reviews
The Lovely Bones

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Cast & Crew

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Peter Jackson

Director

Mark Wahlberg

Jack Salmon

Rachel Weisz

Abigail Salmon

Susan Sarandon

Grandma Lynn

Stanley Tucci

George Harvey

Michael Imperioli

Len Fenerman

Movie Clips

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The Lovely Bones

The Lovely Bones: Official Clip - Lindsey Finds Evidence The Lovely Bones: Official Clip - Lindsey Finds Evidence 2:13 The Lovely Bones: Official Clip - You Wrote Me A Poem Once The Lovely Bones: Official Clip - You Wrote Me A Poem Once 2:06 The Lovely Bones: Official Clip - I Willed Him To Stop The Lovely Bones: Official Clip - I Willed Him To Stop 2:13 The Lovely Bones: Official Clip - I'm Not Gonna Hurt You, Susie The Lovely Bones: Official Clip - I'm Not Gonna Hurt You, Susie 2:13 The Lovely Bones: Official Clip - Jack Realizes the Truth The Lovely Bones: Official Clip - Jack Realizes the Truth 2:13 The Lovely Bones: Official Clip - You Are Beautiful, Susie Salmon The Lovely Bones: Official Clip - You Are Beautiful, Susie Salmon 1:26 The Lovely Bones: Official Clip - Last Wednesday The Lovely Bones: Official Clip - Last Wednesday 2:00 The Lovely Bones: Official Clip - She's Gone The Lovely Bones: Official Clip - She's Gone 1:57 The Lovely Bones: Official Clip - A Thing of Beauty The Lovely Bones: Official Clip - A Thing of Beauty 1:38 View more videos

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The Lovely Bones

The Lovely Bones: Trailer 1 The Lovely Bones: Trailer 1 2:25 View more videos
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The Lovely Bones

Mark Wahlberg as Jack Salmon in "The Lovely Bones." Saoirse Ronan as Susie Salmon in "The Lovely Bones." Rachel Weisz as Abigail Salmon in "The Lovely Bones." Saoirse Ronan as Susie Salmon in "The Lovely Bones." (L-R) Saoirse Ronan and director Peter Jackson on the set of "The Lovely Bones." A scene from the film "The Lovely Bones." Saoirse Ronan as Susie Salmon in "The Lovely Bones." (L-R) Saoirse Ronan as Susie Salmon and Susan Sarandon as Grandma Lynn in "The Lovely Bones." Saoirse Ronan as Susie Salmon in "The Lovely Bones." Rachel Weisz as Abigail Salmon in "The Lovely Bones." View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis After being brutally murdered, 14-year-old Susie Salmon (Saoirse Ronan) watches from heaven over her grief-stricken family (Mark Wahlberg, Rachel Weisz) -- and her killer (Stanley Tucci). As she observes their daily lives, she must balance her thirst for revenge with her desire for her family to heal.
Director
Peter Jackson
Producer
Carolynne Cunningham, Fran Walsh, Peter Jackson, Aimee Peyronnet
Screenwriter
Peter Jackson, Philippa Boyens, Fran Walsh
Distributor
Paramount Pictures, DreamWorks SKG
Production Co
WingNut Films
Rating
PG-13 (Disturbing Violent Images|Disturbing Violent Content|Mature Thematic Material|Some Language)
Genre
Drama, Mystery & Thriller, Fantasy
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jan 15, 2010, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
May 27, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA)
$44.0M
Runtime
2h 16m
Sound Mix
SDDS, Dolby Digital, DTS
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