Lady in the Water
Directed by M. Night Shyamalan.
Starring Paul Giamatti, Bryce Dallas Howard.
Although it appears certain that film critics and audiences alike will come up with less endearing terms for the enigmatic filmmaker after his latest work, perhaps the best way to describe M. Night Shyamalan is courageous. Courageous for making a string of increasingly bizarre cerebral big-budget thrillers that explore various aspects of the human condition in unconventional, uncomfortable and often deceptively primitive ways. Lady in the Water is another example of a director whose work tries to draw out the fragility, dependence, complexity and potential of the human figure against a backdrop of mythology, spirituality and fantasy.
The first choice that one has to make when entering the cinema is this; will I hold onto my conception of what modern cinematic storytelling should be and make sure I keep the sense of cynicism that identifies me an adult? If your answer has to be yes then the Lady in the Water is a waste of your time. If however, you try to leave your streetwise attitude at the door and watch with an open, fresh and optimistic mind, then Shyamalan’s work becomes an emotional and refreshingly strange and escape into an world where beings from another plane of existence, from myth, help the human to understand his worth and calling.
If you are prepared to acknowledge that although Shyamalan employs some fairly standard examples of fable, character-types and life-lessons, wrapped up in what could be called a very contrived scenario, there is something extra there, some type of sensibility that places the film in a category of its own. The sensibility is reflected in the brilliant composition of each shot, the dialogue that, while sometimes clichéd, reveals the raw faults, fears and hopes of each imperfect, sometimes comical character. Visual effects are handled with brilliant elegance and the aesthetic ‘universe’ of the film is inspiring in its imagination, especially when the three main environment sets (the apartment complex, the pool and the grasslands/woods) are integrated so well.
The choice to set the film in a strictly defined space, that being the ‘Cove’ apartment complex and the mini-environs within its U-shaped embrace, allow Shyamalan to push character stereotypes and interactions into clear metaphors for the wider human context. The ‘narfs’, represented by ‘Story’ (Howard), symbolise an angelic metaphorical revelation for the downtrodden residents of the Cove, a virtue of goodness and purity that they must defend from those that try to destroy, pollute and corrupt the spirit, embodied in the wild creature known as the ‘scrunt.’ Although they don’t understand exactly what ‘Story’ is, or why she is with them, the residents of the Cove each find their place in preserving a common good and exploring their own inner self.
Giamatti’s depiction of a man stricken by past tragedy and loss of self-confidence exudes pathos and comedy alike, while Howard maintains a sense of otherworldliness quite well. The extended cast of characters, one of which is played by Shyamalan himself, is a great mixture of often amusing and bizarre individuals each with their own talents and burdens in equal measure. One can’t help getting the sense that Lady in the Water would have worked well as an anime, given its elegant compositions, cast of strange characters and unlikely heroes and fantastic creatures. Indeed, the surreal nature of this film evokes works by Miyazake for Studio Ghibli, the novels of Murakami and the dark fairytale visions of Burton. To his credit, Shyamalan has made the film he set out to, splitting with Disney as a necessary part of achieving this. Shyamalan shows us what it is like to be a child again, how to approach life with a new sense of optimism, an open mind and humble good-humour. True to form, he manages to deliver these messages in a fresh and distinct, yet somehow familiar dark fairytale. Another dark, strange, ambitious, and fantastic fable from a director who continues to challenge his mainstream audience in ways that will increasingly frustrate and perplex the bourgeoisie
4 stars
S.J. Sheridan
This film is so freaking weird, and I mean weird in a good, original, “you won’t have seen it before, but will enjoy it anyway” kind of way. One night a local apartment complex superintendent named Cleveland rescues a young girl from the pool. Eventually he comes to the realisation that she is of a forgotten species of water guides trying to help mankind, that are now only known as creatures from a fairy tale. With the help of his tenants, they attempt to fulfil their destined roles in helping her fulfil her destiny.
This was an insanely good film! I’ve never seen a ‘M. Night Shyamalan’ film before but I expected a stab/horror/weird creature flick. This is a brilliant fairytale supported by the usual A-class acting of Paul Giamatti and a great job from newcomer Bryce Dallas Howard. It’s quite endearing watching the quirky interactions, habits and culture of the local tenants, and the film makes a bit of fun of its genre (especially due to the presence of the film critic character). Don’t go seeing this film expecting a horror film because it isn’t, but it will still have its scary points! It’s really a family film that just about anyone will enjoy. An unexpected, but truly something special treat.
9/10
Michael Hill
