The Lovely Bones (2009)

The Lovely Bones is a 2009 supernatural drama film directed by Peter Jackson from a screenplay he co-wrote with Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens. It is based on Alice Sebold's 2002 novel. The film stars Mark Wahlberg, Rachel Weisz, Susan Sarandon, Stanley Tucci, Michael Imperioli, and Saoirse Ronan. The plot follows a girl who was murdered and watches over her family from heaven. She is torn between seeking vengeance on her killer and allowing her family to heal.

A co-production between the United States, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand, The Lovely Bones was produced by Carolynne Cunningham, Walsh, Jackson, and Aimee Peyronnet, with Steven Spielberg, Tessa Ross, Ken Kamins, and James Wilson as executive producers. Principal photography began in October 2007 in New Zealand and Pennsylvania. The film's score was composed by Brian Eno.

The Lovely Bones premiered in London on November 24, 2009, and was wide released in New Zealand on December 26, 2009 and in the United States on January 15, 2010. It received mixed-to-unfavorable reviews from critics; while the visual effects, the direction, and the performances of Ronan and Tucci were praised, its story and message were generally criticized. At the world box office, The Lovely Bones grossed $93.6 million on a $65 million production budget. Tucci was nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the Oscars, the Golden Globes and the BAFTAs, where Ronan also received a Best Actress nomination.