The New Shape of Dark Romance

Rating: 10/10 (3 May 2019)

The Shape of Water is a moving artwork that allows you to go back in time in a seemingly alternative time or period piece. This is one of those once in a generation films that will surely be labeled a classic for future generations. This allows you to feel what she feels as this love story develops. The motif of water and its hidden meaning is cleverly inserted throughout the superb cinematography of the film. It is not until the end of the film that you fully understand the title of The Shape of Water with a poem being read with a voice-over narration.
The Shape of Water clearly sets a new bar for romantic fantasy and redefines the complexity of human relationships. This story of unexpected love from what I would define as two misfits of a society that doesn't fully accept either of them. Elisa Esposito as Sally has a stunning performance as a mute that finds ways to communicate not only her words but feelings without speaking a single word throughout the film. She creates this character that you will fall in love with and find yourself rooting for her happiness throughout.
Richard Strickland, who plays the story's main villain, Michael Shannon, also plays his part in a way that you can respect how much you grow to despise his character. There are moments in the film that you get to take comfort in his pain and even give you a few laughs. He is gifted with being able to really compel you to root against him and what he stands for in the film.
As I was watching Shape of Water it took me back to another dark romance from years ago - Bram Stoker's Dracula. Both of the storylines are dark and consuming with a slower beginning to lead the story along, but the full thriller comes into fruition later in the film. The comparison between Winona Ryder's Mina and Elisa Esposito's Sally were comparable with their period wardrobe, dialect, and mannerisms. Mina has a friend, Lucy, played by Sadie Frost who acts as her confident while Sally does too with Zelda played by Octavia Spencer. Throughout both films you watch their relationships with each other and their romantic partners unfold.
Both films have a dark current that run throughout and a love interest that was challenging to understand. In addition, both Bram Stoker's Dracula and The Shape of Water are period pieces with Dracula set in 1462 and Shape of Water set in 1962. Both include a voice-over narrative by one of the characters. In Dracula, letters are continually being read aloud while the film plays on behind it for a large amount of the backstory of the film, but in The Shape of Water it is at the end that the poem is read aloud while the scene plays out. For me, there is a strong similarity and so, I say, if you like dark romances like Dracula, you will like The Shape of Water too.