Best Picture contender, The Shape of Water, changes up the classic monster movie by adding heart and empathy through the spirit of the characters.
Anyone who has seen a commercial for The Shape of Water probably has a general idea of what they think it's about: ah, the movie with the woman who falls in love with the fish. But it is, of course, so much more than that. Set in the backdrop of the Cold War, Elisa (Sally Hawkins), a mute woman, works at a high-security laboratory as a custodian. Along with her friend Zelda (Octavia Spencer), the two discover a highly classified experiment, which changes Elisa’s life in many ways. [caption id="attachment_6187" align="aligncenter" width="600"]
(Photo Cred: IndieWire)[/caption]
Hawkins is an extremely gifted actress and acts brilliantly in this difficult role which required absolutely no speaking. The audience can feel every emotion she portrays in her expressions and actions. She can easily make an audience believe that she is in love with a sea monster. Granted, the love story could’ve been fleshed out a bit more, but Hawkins is convincing. That’s hard work. Spencer, of course, is always amazing and a great partner to Hawkins. The supporting cast, which includes Richard Jenkins, Michael Shannon, and Michael Stuhlbarg, is also strong. Each character has a distinct personality and traits that work spectacularly together as an ensemble -- one of the strongest ensembles I’ve seen this award season.
[caption id="attachment_6186" align="aligncenter" width="400"]
(photo cred: Collider)[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_6188" align="aligncenter" width="400"]
(Photo Cred: GoldDerby)[/caption]
The strongest element of The Shape of Water for me was the visual elements. Guillermo del Toro created a beautiful and whimsical picture of a world that is extremely odd. With each moment of artistic vision, there is a sliver of empathy and love that seeps through. If it wasn’t for some of the more graphic content, this could easily be a Disney fairytale. Some of the material mirrors classics like The Little Mermaid and Beauty & the Beast. The director easily can blend senses and emotions together, which is a true talent. He is a strong contender for Best Director.
The Shape of Water is a clear tribute to monster movies of the past and Old Hollywood, told in an extremely imaginative way, which is nice to see in an industry that is currently filled with uncertainty and trouble. There are so many reasons why this movie shouldn’t work, but it just does. Leading the Oscar race with 13 nominations, it is no surprise that everyone sees that, too.
