Of Skrunt and Narf (Lady in the Water (DVD))

Member Name: plipplop

Product:	Lady in the Water (DVD)
Date:	14/03/08 (127 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Imaginative, exciting fairy tale

Disadvantages: Self-indulgent

Mild-mannered caretaker Cleveland Heep works tirelessly to keep the residents of an apartment block happy, virtually adopting them as his surrogate family. Insistent that the residents observe basic rules, he becomes increasingly irritated by a mystery resident who insists on using the communal swimming-pool after 7 p.m., in spite of safety warnings. One warm evening, he hears a splash in the water and rushes out to confront the illegal swimmer. Unable to identify the swimmer, he slips on the pool edge and falls into the water, unconscious from a blow to the head. When he awakes, he finds himself back in his apartment, a timid young girl sat opposite him waiting for him to recover. When Cleveland realises that the girl is actually a character (curiously named Story) from a bedtime story, he enlists the help of the other residents to help her get home. But not everyone shares Cleveland's concerns for Story's welfare. In the long grass at the pool edge lurks another character from the same tale....

When Lady in the Water was released in 2006, it seemed that everyone hated it. Expecting another mystery thriller from the director, audiences were instead treated to a modern-day fairytale that divided opinion. It seemed that you either loved it or hated it. For me, it is unquestionably the former.

Lady in the Water is a perfect outlet for Shyamalan's considerable imagination. The narrative is full to the brim with unusual and interesting characters, gradually woven into the tale as their significance increases or decreases according to each plot revelation. Initially knowing very little of the young girl in his room, Cleveland gradually discovers more and more via one of the residents, a young oriental girl living with her mother, who translates the story bit by bit as it is recounted by her eccentric parent. Curiously, in spite of the story's fantastical nature, Cleveland never really challenges anything that he's told, a condition that quickly rubs off on the audience. There's a growing sense of excitement as Cleveland and the residents must piece together the details of the tale in the face of a looming deadline and a mythical beast lurking in the gardens, intent on preventing Story from reaching her destination.

Needless to say, it's far-fetched and fantastic but it all makes for such a fabulous story that it's hard not to become absorbed. All the action takes place within the confines of the apartment block, but shifts around at pace between the various characters, who ultimately make the story what it is. We are introduced to most of the residents in conjunction with a rather sinister new resident who in turn is introduced to the eccentric bunch one at a time. As the bedtime story yields the presence of key players (a writer, a healer, a guardian and more) Shyamalan skilfully leads the audience to draw the same incorrect conclusions as Cleveland and as time runs out, everyone must figure out the puzzle.

As Cleveland Heep, Paul Giamatti's contribution to the film's success is considerable. Exhibiting a curiously comical stutter, Heep is an enormously likeable character, coping with a secret tragedy in his life and exhibiting everything that can be seen as good. Giamatti is warm, funny and kind of clumsy too, as he stumbles into danger and out again, somehow protecting his new charge. The relationship between Heep and his protégé is endearing, with Bryce Dallas Howard very effective as the mythical nymph-like creature. M Night Shyamalan takes on a bigger cameo than his previous films, as a doomed writer named Vick Ran, but his acting abilities are overshadowed by his screen-sister's quips and one-liners.

Lady in the Water is shamelessly self-indulgent and appears to be a very personal project for Shyamalan, a fact that seems to have led to much of the criticism. This aside, I really like the film. The imaginative, fantastical story is gripping and intriguing. Shyamalan cleverly interweaves the tale with a self-aware swipe at conventional film making and once again reflects upon his favourite elements of heroism and self-awareness. Lady is a strong contrast to Shyamalan's other work but is a more accessible, likeable piece than, for example, Unbreakable or The Village. Swapping the supernatural for the magical reaps strong dividends for the director and, regardless of the critical reception repeat attempts at this style and content would be very welcome.

Released in 2006, the region 2 DVD is now widely-available at bargain prices.

Summary: A magical creature arrives in an apartment block