The Shape of Water

THE SHAPE OF WATER (2017)

Now we’re talking! This has been my favourite of the bunch. If you consider The Post and Phantom Thread as traditional Oscar-bait this feels like the opposite.
Director Guillermo del Toro brings to life this tail (wink) of two cleaners working in a classified government institution who discover a… test tube experiment, let’s say.
If this was released in the early 90s it wouldn’t be getting this attention. The VHS would be on my shelf nestled between Batman Returns and Edward Scissorhands. What I loved about the first X Men film was that it was based in our universe yet some people happened to have these concealed powers. It was a universe we understood. Same with The Shape of Water. It has two feet planted in reality but also has a fully credible merman.

There are flaws but I don’t care. It was pure escapism and I adored it! I’d be happy for Sally Hawkins to win Best Actress. She’s incredible. There is a scene where she, as a deaf mute, insists Richard Jenkins translates what she is signing word for word and I’ve never felt such urgency in my life. My chest hurt.

Great cast. Not sure all deserve a nom. Michael Shannon continues to terrify me in everything he does (he’s a superb villain in Boardwalk Empire if you’ve not seen that give it a spin). Michael Stuhlbarg makes his third welcome outing this season and Octavia Spencer once again provides strength and warmth.
The score is terrific. The tone is hopeful and defiant. I simply loved it. I wanted to applaud during the credits. Oh and more boiled eggs to further my new obsession.

10 Sodden Thumbs Up!