A Modern Fairy Tale

Rating: 8/10 (26 February 2018)

The Shape of Water has received extensive appraisal from the academy this year, as it currently leads the awards race with a grand total of 13 nominations. The film has garnered a plethora of nominations in the acting, directing and technical categories. Many pundits in fact speculate that it's the favourite to win Best Picture, with Get Out coming in just behind as a close second. Despite the awards buzz, I was rather sceptical of del Torro's new film, as the academy has previously rewarded films that are dull and overly pretentious. Though over the past few years there have been some notable exceptions, for example Titanic and the Lord of the Rings. However, once this fantastical story had concluded and the credits rolled, my scepticism had been completely washed away (no pun intended).
The film tells the story of Elisa Esposito (Sally Hawkins), a mute woman who works as a cleaner at one of the US' research facilities during the height of the cold war. The aforesaid facility is run by the ambitious and cold-hearted Richard Strickland (Michael Shannon), who oversees the transfer of a new research asset. This asset being an amphibious creature uncovered in South America. The film depicts an unconventional love story between Elisa and the creature, a love that has to overcome the cruelty and brutality of this world. A cruelty embodied by the prejudicial and cold Strickland.
Such a fantastical story's believability is wholly dependent on the actor's ability to deliver compelling performances. Which is exactly what this talented cast does, Octavia Spencer and Richard Jenkins deliver both likeability and emotional depth with their characters. Surprisingly, both of their characters are also quite amusing and provide unexpected comic relief. There was a particular gag from Octavia Spencer's character, after shall we say an 'intimate 'moment', that had me laughing out loud. Ergo, what is unsurprising is that both have received acting nods from the academy.
Though to me, the real standout of this stellar cast is Sally Hawkins. She wonderfully portrays a woman isolated from society due to what she feels is an inability to fully articulate herself, among other things. The fact that Hawkins' character is mute means that much of the emotional weight of her character's story is dependent on her ability to express the character's emotions physically. Something that she is able to do with great grace and beauty. There is a particular standout scene where Hawkins's facial expressions and gesticulation, manage to express how this newfound connection has lifted her character from the depths of loneliness to a place of love and acceptance. In my humble opinion, her nomination for best actress is 100% deserved.
Del Torro also excels in his duty as director. He crafts a visually evocative world, which he brings to life by combining creative and colourful cinematography with an authentic 60s soundtrack. I particularly liked how he used water imagery throughout the film to illustrate both isolation and unification.
The film for the most part is impressive all around, but like any movie, it isn't perfect. I would argue that there wasn't enough time dedicated enough to building the connection between Elisa and the creature. It isn't bad by any stretch of the imagination, it's greatest crime is that it's 'good enough', as it adequately serves the purpose of forwarding the narrative. I feel that if more time was dedicated to building their relationship, it truly could have been an iconic cinematic romance. If such time had been invested, I feel that the dramatic climax of the third act would have been far more emotionally impactful.
Despite these flaws, The Shape of Water tells a memorable story. Not because of how it interweaves its different themes using its various characters, but because of the importance of its message. It tells a story of the transcendent nature of love. A story of how love can wash away the trappings of loneliness and transcend the ugliness of prejudice. Guillermo del Torro's simple story has an important message, one that is delivered with emotional honesty, we shouldn't let mere physical attributes and so called 'flaws' tear us apart and isolate us. Rather, we should love well and love freely.