Review: Lady in the Water

Much like the critic (played by Bob Balaban) in M. Night Shyamalan's Lady in the Water, most real critics nowadays have turned into bitter, petty people who can't enjoy a film. Most of them are right in saying that the film had a lot of unrealistic, contrived and pretentious moments (I found myself saying "Huh?" in some of them), but it is nowhere near deserving of such harshness (it currently stands at 22% at Rotten Tomatoes). In its worst moments, the film is easily juvenile, and these are when Shyamalan seems unable to adequately realize his undoubtedly creative thoughts and put them effectively to screen. But Lady in the Water is a very entertaining and even inspiring film that does make you ask yourself certain questions about roles in the world and futures, and Shyamalan sets his plot in a bedtime story that evokes wonder and awe as much as any ancient folktale. It helps that Paul Giamatti and Bryce Dallas Howard are highly capable actors, and that, unlike many of the most prominent critics, I can still appreciate creativity and intention. Grade: B

Image from IMDb