Review of The Shape of Water (2017) by Mike J — 06 Apr 2018

This is a movie that I appreciated more than I liked. The love story between a mute woman and a fish god is beautifully directed and acted. As the mute woman, Sally Hawkins makes melancholy beautiful. Octavia Spencer, as her best friend, is a stand-in for the audience and a welcome dose of comic relief.

All the elements are present. But, and it's a big but, it doesn't add up in the long run. The chemistry between Hawkins and the fish just isn't there--the reason for the romance is that "he doesn't see she is broken," not the greatest reason for love.

And the graphic sex scenes and violence pulls you out of the elegant visual feast on display. One sex scene has a naked Hawkins getting it on with the fish while the bathroom fills with water to the ceiling from an overflowing tub.

This simply is impossible and requires an epic suspension of disbelief. Not the sex part--that a overflowing tub could make a bathroom into an aquarium. And the side story with the great Michael Stuhlbarg makes zero sense.

I had high hopes going into the film and give it the rating I did based on degree of difficulty, but I recommend it with very strong reservations.