Lady in the Water (PG-13)

More soggy than scary. Still, not for youngsters.

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Common Sense rates it
2
Seen the movie? Review it
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Movie details
  • Studio: Warner Bros., Warner Bros.
  • Directed By: M. Night Shyamalan
  • Cast: Paul Giamatti, Bryce Dallas Howard, M. Night Shyamalan
  • Running Time: 110 minutes
  • Release Date: 07/21/2006
  • Video/DVD Release Date: 12/19/2006
  • Genre: Thriller
  • MPAA Rating: PG-13
  • MPAA Explanation: some frightening sequences

Parents need to know

Parents need to know that the movie features a fierce dog-like creature most often indicated by shadows or red lights (his eyes). His attacks (he crashes through glass, drags off a girl, and kills a character) are rendered in quick cuts, hectic camera movements, and victims' screams. The creature is eventually ripped apart by monkey-like creatures in another dark, loud, and chaotic scene. The film includes a couple of jump scenes. A few characters smoke cigarettes.

Families can talk about Heep's dedication to figuring out the story/puzzle, as this shows his generosity as well as his need to work through his own past trauma. How does Story inspire Heep and the other tenants? How do the diverse characters work together toward a common goal? How does Story's story become everyone's?

Message

Social Behavior:

Disparate apartment dwellers work together to help a nymph-like girl return to her storybook home.

Consumerism:

Drugs/Alcohol/Tobacco:

"Slackers" in apartment complex smoke cigarettes even though it's against the rules (they keep a heaping ashtray outside their door).

Violence

Monstrous, wolflike CGIed dog (covered in grass, with red eyes and big fangs) attacks and drags off Story, and ferociously kills a character (in briefly violent images and cuts).

Sex

Story's nakedness is mostly out of frame; Anna calls Heep a "player."

Language

Minor profanity ("ass," "damn").

Common Sense says

What's the story?

Reviewed by Cynthia Fuchs

Cleveland Heep (Paul Giamatti) appears an ordinary fellow, a Philadelphia apartment complex superintendent with a bit of a stutter and shuffling gait. He knows his tenants by name, gently reminding them to follow the rules (no swimming in the pool after 7pm, no smoking in the units), but mostly keeps to himself. When someone starts making noises in the pool during the night, he feels he has to take a stand. But then he discovers the swimmer is not a tenant, but a pale girl named Story (Bryce Dallas Howard), who comes from the water (she calls it "the blue world"), and has arrived among humans in order to deliver what she terms an "awakening" to a very special human. When Story is attacked by a dangerous dog-monster called a "scrunt" (a CGIed creature who lurks in the lawn, then leaps up to rip her flesh with its big teeth), Heep assembles his tenants -- including a single father (Jeffrey Wright), a woman who loves animals (Mary Beth Hurt), a kid fond of lifting weights (Freddy Rodriguez), a philosophical slacker (Jared Harris), and a film critic named Farber (Bob Balaban) -- each with his or her own particular task to save her.

Is it any good?

2

More soggy than scary, LADY IN THE WATER follows a sad, inward-looking man's efforts to make sense of random violence. Much like previous protagonists in M. Night Shyamalan's movies, Cleveland Heep (Paul Giamatti) harbors a secret and finds salvation in a generous and heroic act. Once again, this act is prodded along by otherworldly and very carefully arranged forces. This time, however, the arrangement is awkward and overexplained, as if the movie doesn't trust viewers to get it.

Heep's own reading improves throughout Lady in the Water. His earnest enthusiasm, sharp wit, and utter commitment to saving his new friend Story suggest that effective readers look beyond themselves. Writers might also take note.

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Parents and kids say

All Reviews

There are 34 reviews.

5


Posted on 07/13/08 by slipseal123 Kid contributor, age 13

A timeless fairytale comes to life...

M.Night Shyamalan's film, Lady in the Water, in an interesting plot and enjoyable characters, told of a lost sea nymph and how simple everyday neighbors became involved in something more, something told only in a fairytale.
5


Posted on 06/25/08 by ScottK Adult contributor

An amazing movie, one of my favorite!

Well, I was surprised at how good this movie was. It is scary at parts, and has a thrilling feel about it. A great story, and great special effects as well. One of the things I was most impressed about was the music, which was just incredible. No sexual content in this movie, violence but not much, and some smoking. An all around good movie, I reccomend it to all kids 12 and up!
1


Posted on 06/15/08 by quagmire Kid contributor, age 11

This Is fr***in Crap!

This Movie Was Very Stupid and Not Entertaining, So Go Find Something Else to Watch!
4


Posted on 11/08/07 by dudeman123 Kid contributor, age 15

Decent

Befor seeing this movie i heard a whole lot of criticism about it like it was a huge letdown compared to Shyamalans others and it was corny and pointless....but i thought different it made you think it was interesting and there was no language or sex which is always a plus. I think they did a good job of making a fairy tail story into a real life movie and there were some parts that made you cheer and laugh and a little scared...anyone over 9 can see this should be PG
4


Posted on 10/27/07 by jconway Adult contributor

More of a Quiet mystery rather than action

Nice blend of human interest and science fiction. Liked the suspense, occasionally scary, and so refreshing not to have action scene after action scene ad boredom. Interesting characters. Only problem, no one could hold his breath that long under water.
5


Posted on 09/19/07 by jillwashere Kid contributor, age 11

I Loved This Movie

It was on HBO and my mom turned it on. I thought that I wasnt going to like it-I thought it was going to be scary, but it really wasnt. It was a little confusing at parts, but I couldnt change the channel. I reccommend that kids under the age of 8-9 shouldnt watch this. Its a little violent at parts, but it happens so fast. At some of the parts, I jumped, but it was just because the part happened so fast, I wasnt expecting it. I would definatly watch this movie again.
5


Posted on 09/19/07 by omgitsjillz Kid contributor, age 13
5


Posted on 08/02/07 by Spud Adult contributor

Great film

It’s listed as a thriller, but it’s more of a fantasy movie. There isn’t much language (I can only recall 3 times when someone cussed), and any violence is limited to a few scrape marks on a character’s feet. The plot and concept of the movie is very clever, and the music score is beautiful. This movie’s content is pretty mild and could have easily been rated PG.
3


Posted on 07/23/07 by willbarchi Kid contributor, age 15

Very rushed, but nonetheless thrilling.

I must admit, I'm not a particular fan of M. Night's work, but I thought this particular film was actually worth writing review on. The actual movie itself felt generally very rushed, as there was alot of information being given to the viewer at once. We are dealing with a fairly complex bedtime story ontop of the main plot, so it often feels like general concepts of the original story haven't been explained in entirity. This is, in my opinion, the movie's main downfall. It's biggest asset is it's clever, intricate plot, but it's main problem is the noticably strained effort to include all of the plot into the film. This results in its terribly abrupt ending... Unsuitable content-wise, the movie was surprisingly clean; without overt sexual references but with some scary tension and jump-out surprises, as one has come to expect with M. Night's previous work. Overall, I believe the film would've made a much better mini-series. This would've allowed the plot and characters to be built up properly. I must give some credit to M. Night for including the clever humour involving the death of the critic character. It definatly gave the film an edge that said 'hey hey hey... I haven't turned into a family flick'! Anyway, jokes aside, this was an entertaining film that is well worth an evening's view. Thanks for reaaading<3 -will barchi (14 years)
5


Posted on 06/04/07 by GuardianAngel19 Adult contributor

LOOK!

I think movie is very good.I heard this is very scary .Made be time when i save up i gonna get it.I have been wanting get movie for long!:)5 stars

See all 34 reviews >

Adult Reviews

There are 12 reviews.

5


Posted on 06/25/08 by ScottK Adult contributor

An amazing movie, one of my favorite!

Well, I was surprised at how good this movie was. It is scary at parts, and has a thrilling feel about it. A great story, and great special effects as well. One of the things I was most impressed about was the music, which was just incredible. No sexual content in this movie, violence but not much, and some smoking. An all around good movie, I reccomend it to all kids 12 and up!
4


Posted on 10/27/07 by jconway Adult contributor

More of a Quiet mystery rather than action

Nice blend of human interest and science fiction. Liked the suspense, occasionally scary, and so refreshing not to have action scene after action scene ad boredom. Interesting characters. Only problem, no one could hold his breath that long under water.
5


Posted on 08/02/07 by Spud Adult contributor

Great film

It’s listed as a thriller, but it’s more of a fantasy movie. There isn’t much language (I can only recall 3 times when someone cussed), and any violence is limited to a few scrape marks on a character’s feet. The plot and concept of the movie is very clever, and the music score is beautiful. This movie’s content is pretty mild and could have easily been rated PG.
5


Posted on 06/04/07 by GuardianAngel19 Adult contributor

LOOK!

I think movie is very good.I heard this is very scary .Made be time when i save up i gonna get it.I have been wanting get movie for long!:)5 stars
4


Posted on 12/19/06 by tlynn Adult contributor

M.Night does it again!!

This movie got the shaft by critics. My husband and I and our 12 year old son went together and all of us enjoyed it. I was weeping at the end which was very touching for those of us who have suffered a loss of a loved one. We found it intriging because of the "mystery" of the lady and the unusual camera angles and unpredictable dialogue. Have always enjoyed M.Night's movies. Maybe we are biased because of that. This movie is very much worth your time if you like art (something different than your average hollywood formula) in movie form.
4

Posted on 11/03/06 by Anonymous Adult contributor

Not too scary

This wasn't his best, but a good one. A little intense in some parts, and a little disconnected at the end. But definately worth seeing again.
3


Posted on 09/28/06 by Pal101 Adult contributor
3


Posted on 09/08/06 by nothing Adult contributor
4

Posted on 08/18/06 by Anonymous Adult contributor

better than I thought it would be

The first reviewer, Charke, said all that I would say and much better than I could say! The story line drives this movie, not the scary scenes. There is no gore, no swearing, and no sexual content. I loved it.
5


Posted on 07/28/06 by Charke Adult contributor

Just go see it!

Just go see it. That’s what I tell people. That’s what I did. I'd like to think that's what you should do. For those who need more, read on. <Minor Spoiler Warning!> Shyamalan provides us with again with what he always does - something new and original. Unlike his other movies this one does not depend on his trade-mark surprise ending which has, at least in my opinion, disappointed at least once. There is a surprise ending but it is more charming than shocking and caps the story off brilliantly. More like Unbreakable than the Village, this ice-cream cone simply has a different flavor at the core, not sour bubblegum. Throughout Lady in the Water I felt a certain pleasant nostalgia. It only struck me later that the movie bears a number of similarities to the very successful Never Ending Story (the original movie, not the string of progressively more confusing sequels). Lady in the Water took the deadly risk of self analysis and capped that off with a bit of morbid comedy when the reviewer came face to face with the reviewed. I think it worked. I really enjoyed the elemental theme of water which was so strong throughout the movie. I really enjoy water, swimming, life guarding and teaching swimming lessons but I guess it's not for everyone. Water seems to play an important part in Shyamalan's movies. I wonder if he had a near drowning experience. This is a fascinating way of dealing with such an issue. So much wasn't said in the movie and that I really appreciate. He gives the audience a little credit and doesn't spoon feed us. It was never said that the monster was afraid of water, yet all the time it was clear that it was. The water seemed like a protective barrier. It was a symbol and a shield, and a surprise to make you jump out of your seat. Many elements were just disturbing but there was a clear sense of right and wrong and morality. The guardian and his weightlifting were just bizarre and that is what I remember most strongly about the movie because I've never seen that before. The morality of the healer and that the movie did not need gratuitous adult scenes to work was a welcome relief. I thought it was a fantastic movie. I'll have to agree that it is not for everyone. It is only for people who dream.
See all 12 adult reviews>

Kids Reviews

There are 22 reviews.

5


Posted on 07/13/08 by slipseal123 Kid contributor, age 13

A timeless fairytale comes to life...

M.Night Shyamalan's film, Lady in the Water, in an interesting plot and enjoyable characters, told of a lost sea nymph and how simple everyday neighbors became involved in something more, something told only in a fairytale.
1


Posted on 06/15/08 by quagmire Kid contributor, age 11

This Is fr***in Crap!

This Movie Was Very Stupid and Not Entertaining, So Go Find Something Else to Watch!
4


Posted on 11/08/07 by dudeman123 Kid contributor, age 15

Decent

Befor seeing this movie i heard a whole lot of criticism about it like it was a huge letdown compared to Shyamalans others and it was corny and pointless....but i thought different it made you think it was interesting and there was no language or sex which is always a plus. I think they did a good job of making a fairy tail story into a real life movie and there were some parts that made you cheer and laugh and a little scared...anyone over 9 can see this should be PG
5


Posted on 09/19/07 by jillwashere Kid contributor, age 11

I Loved This Movie

It was on HBO and my mom turned it on. I thought that I wasnt going to like it-I thought it was going to be scary, but it really wasnt. It was a little confusing at parts, but I couldnt change the channel. I reccommend that kids under the age of 8-9 shouldnt watch this. Its a little violent at parts, but it happens so fast. At some of the parts, I jumped, but it was just because the part happened so fast, I wasnt expecting it. I would definatly watch this movie again.
5


Posted on 09/19/07 by omgitsjillz Kid contributor, age 13
3


Posted on 07/23/07 by willbarchi Kid contributor, age 15

Very rushed, but nonetheless thrilling.

I must admit, I'm not a particular fan of M. Night's work, but I thought this particular film was actually worth writing review on. The actual movie itself felt generally very rushed, as there was alot of information being given to the viewer at once. We are dealing with a fairly complex bedtime story ontop of the main plot, so it often feels like general concepts of the original story haven't been explained in entirity. This is, in my opinion, the movie's main downfall. It's biggest asset is it's clever, intricate plot, but it's main problem is the noticably strained effort to include all of the plot into the film. This results in its terribly abrupt ending... Unsuitable content-wise, the movie was surprisingly clean; without overt sexual references but with some scary tension and jump-out surprises, as one has come to expect with M. Night's previous work. Overall, I believe the film would've made a much better mini-series. This would've allowed the plot and characters to be built up properly. I must give some credit to M. Night for including the clever humour involving the death of the critic character. It definatly gave the film an edge that said 'hey hey hey... I haven't turned into a family flick'! Anyway, jokes aside, this was an entertaining film that is well worth an evening's view. Thanks for reaaading<3 -will barchi (14 years)
4


Posted on 05/20/07 by dklink Kid contributor, age 12

great. but not shyamalan's best.

this had a really good story. it was one of those movies you wont get unless you are somewhat smart. the violence in this movie was all fantasy realated, the sexual content was limited to Story's naked back in about ahlf the shots. id say that 11+ would enjoy.
5


Posted on 03/04/07 by misscompetitive Kid contributor, age 12

love it

i love this movie i thought that people over 5 can watch it there are some scary parts but those pass over quick.....my family loves this mpovie and they hope you will too>>>> i would not consider this movie a family film but i mean you should still see it because it is great.this movie you have to really think about what is happening like to find out who van stop the grass monster. i think after you see this movie once you should see it again because every time you watch it you will find something new and i think that is great>>>>>
5


Posted on 02/26/07 by will Kid contributor, age 17

underrated, as true beauty always is

an excellent movie, more for its amazing message of hope and change then anything else but also great in other domains. im not surprised at the public failure of this story because most folks just didnt get it...if you are able to go in seeking a quick thrill and come out feeling like youve strangely received something more than that congratulations, but most of us can only see, feel what we tell ourselves to. we fear someone who might dare to claim to have an answer, or at least a dream so we disregard it. i do not see this as a movie, this is a message which we are truly blessed to have received (at least for the few of us who did). shymalan has always been good, but only since signs and now especially the village and this one have we been given hints of his true nature as a writer, who knows and perhaps as a prophet....i know,i know what a geek doesnt he know that theyre all dead and gone, but i dont beleive in those two words, so save yourselves the bother. this movie is definantly beyond children, its a gift of hope to us, and i beleive to truly get it you must be able to apreciate the exremely deep and powerful message that it carries. mister shymalan, if your out there, dont listen to the sheep...you have a gift and although i dont think that it is of you, i truly admire you for having the courage to stick with it...keep up the good work, because if i go back to another sixth sense quick thrill after a taste of this i mihgt get sick....good luck
5


Posted on 02/19/07 by directerdude123 Kid contributor, age 13

cought my attention

Lady in the Water was very exciting and you will love the twisted ending. I recomend this movie to you ir you are 10+ because it gets a little confusing.
See all 22 kids reviews >
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