Susie Salmon (Saoirse Ronan) is just another average teenager enjoying life. She is a high school student that has just become all dreamy over a boy and loves to hang out at the mall. That is until her life comes to a sudden halt when she is murdered. “The Lovely Bones” tells her tale of how she is stuck in between worlds. Susie is not ready to go to the afterlife as she has concerns for her family and wants vengeance for her killer. Jack Salmon (Mark Wahlberg) and Abigail Salmon (Rachel Weisz) both are dealing with the traumatic loss of their daughter in different ways. Time continues to go by and they are convinced of their daughter’s death, despite never having found her body.

Jack’s determination is focused on finding her killer. Meanwhile his wife is in a downward tail spin and finds the only way to heal is for her to flee. She abandons her other two children as she to escapes to find closure, leaving her mother (Susan Sarandon) there to keep an eye on things. As Susie is watching her father from above we see many views of Susie’s life in the in-between World. Her every wish is granted and sometimes things get mucky. As her father is getting closer to zeroing in on her killer so is her sister, Lindsey (Rose McIver). Both are keeping a watchful eye on their neighbor George Harvey (Stanley TuccI) who is noticing the increase curiosity. Can they solve the crime so that Susie can be free to let go and move on?

“The Lovely Bones” is another film that starts off strong only to be another dull disappointment. I found the story as an insult to young woman. Susie at the age of fourteen should have had a little more common sense than they made her have. Not to mention the message given from her mother Abigail was that of abandonment. The scenes portrayed of Susie in the in-between life were elaborate, but overdone. Stellar performances by Mark Wahlberg and Stanley Tucci could not save this film. Despite its visually remarkable attempts to engage the film is an utter loss.