FilmSnobReviews

Title: The Shape of Water
MPAA Rating: R
Director: Guillermo Del Toro
Starring: Sally Hawkins, Octavia Spencer, Michael Shannon
Runtime: 2 hrs 3 min

What It Is: Eliza (Hawkins) is a mute woman working at a government facility. She lives a fairly lonely and mundane life outside of her two very best confidants her co-worker Zelda (Spencer) and her neighbor Giles (Richard Jenkins). Everything changes when an Amphibian Man (Doug Jones) is brought into the facility by Richard Strickland (Shannon). When Eliza begins to communicate with this creature she realizes it deserves a life outside this facility. She’ll do whatever she get to accomplish this.

What We Think: My lord this film is gorgeous! Guillermo Del Toro has topped himself. Whether we’re talking storytelling, visuals and anything else really this is top notch. Its script weaves a science fiction fairy tale, it’s performances are stellar led by the wonderful Sally Hawkins. Visually it takes it’s aquatic thematic and runs with it. Waters never looked so romantic. Its music is a delight and both Spencer and Jenkins kill it in support of Hawkins at the pinnacle of her ability. Del Toro is going to and deserves to win all of the trophies. This man has long been killing it that continues here.

Our Grade: A+, It’s breathtaking and gorgeous. There’s nothing else around like it. Grotesque and macabre, beautiful and timely. There’s really no reason this won’t be nominated for Best Picture and even less for it not to win. From it’s opening shot to it’s closing moments this is a film that if you can stomach it will have you in the palm of its hand throughout. Let the film overtake you. Let it possess your body and soul. What Hawkins does will give you every feel without uttering a single word. I cannot recommend this film any more highly than I currently am. Good lord what a film!