Movie Review: Lady in the Water

Instead of a book review today, I thought I would post a movie review. Lady in the Water is based on a bedtime story that director M. Night Shyamalan made up for his children. Cleveland Heep, the lonely superintendent of an apartment complex, is surprised when Story, a young woman, miraculously appears in the swimming pool. She claims to have come from a faraway watery world. With the help of Young-Soon, one of the many bizarre tenants, Cleveland discovers an ancient legend of water-angels who are sent to Earth to help and inspire mankind. But the water-angel Story is in danger. Dark forces are trying to destroy her. Cleveland must gather the strange talents of the complex's tenants in order to send Story back home in safety.

Lady in the Water is not your typical movie. It is rich with symbolism and hope! First, I love that the name of the salvation figure is Story. Story saves mankind. As an English major, I promise this is true. The other thing that I love love love about this movie is the resolution. Each individual at the apartment complex is very strange. One man only works out one half of his body as an experiment. Another man is always in the bathroom while his wife shares his secrets on the other side of the door. One child reads cereal boxes in order to work through his feelings. They are a bizarre bunch of folk, all somewhat outcasts of normal society. However, in order to save Story, everyone is needed exactly as they are. In short, you are the way you are for a reason. As a strange person myself, I love this concept!

Overall, Lady is a movie about people, and if you love people, you will enjoy learning to appreciate what everyone has to offer.