The story focusses on 14 year old Susie Salmon, who is killed by a man in her neighbourhood on December 6th, 1973. As the people she left behind struggle to cope with her disappearance, and her killer escapes justice, Susie's spirit watches from the afterlife, in her own personal heaven.
This movie isn't a mystery or a thriller. Because we're seeing through Susie's eyes, we already know who killed her. It's really a drama, reflecting on the effect Susie's death has on everyone - including herself.
Considering the subject matter of the book that this film is adapted from, the movie could have been gratuitously violent. Peter Jackson wisely steered clear of this course, instead only hinting at what happened to Susie and the reasons why her body remained undiscovered - giving the audience the clues, and letting them come to their own conclusion.
Most of the film takes place in Susie's inbetween - her personal heaven, a shifting dreamscape consisting of the things that occupy her thoughts; like sadness as she watches her family deal with her death, and the bitterness and anger she feels when she watches her murderer.
While the flawless CG of Susie's heaven is excellent, I think that what I really liked about this film is the acting. All of the cast were very good. But the best, as far as I'm concerned, were the performances of Stanley Tucci, as Susie's killer; Mark Wahlberg, as Susie's devastated father Jack; and Saoirse Ronan as Susie herself.
