The Shape of Water

Guillermo del Toro's THE SHAPE OF WATER from last year is pure cinema, and a real joy to watch as an artist has been allowed to indulge his strongest, best impulses.  If you are familiar with the writer/director's work you might be surprised at the abundance of warmth in this new film.  Tenderness, even.  It's a love story, albeit between a mute woman and an amphibian that resembles THE CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON.  The scenario is firmly within del Toro's usual realm of the fantastic, yet with a strong dose of real world seriousness that likewise infused the writer/director's PAN'S LABYRINTH.

The story is set in (a somewhat surreal) Baltimore in 1962.  The Cold War looms over every corner, especially in the secret government laboratory in which Elisa (Sally Hawkins), unable to speak since a childhood accident, works as a janitor.  A mysterious tank is brought in one evening, housing an amphibian/human that was retrieved from South America by the creepy, sadistic Colonel Strickland (Michael Shannon), who is under orders by General Hoyt (Nick Searcy) to examine the "asset". The creature exhibits hostility, biting off two of Strickland's digits.  Elisa and her co-worker and friend Zelda (Octavia Spencer) are recruited to mop up the bloody mess and begin to get curious.  Elisa will eventually leave out eggs for the creature and play him Benny Goodman records.  He turns out to be a gentle man/fish.  A bond is formed.  Love, actually.

Meanwhile, thoughtful scientist Robert Hoffstetler (Michael Stuhlbarg) balks at the idea of vivisecting the amphibious man for research, but has a dark secret that may undermine everything.

THE SHAPE OF WATER, strikingly photographed by Dan Laustsen, has a "B" movie storyline with an "A" movie screenplay. The director draws each character carefully and lovingly.  Ms. Hawkins has a very intriguing presence.  She may not be "beautiful" in the traditional Hollywood sense but is alluring both physically and in her sensitive performance.  Richard Jenkins is marvelous as Elisa's neighbor Giles, a commercial artist frustrated with his career and closeted sexuality.  Shannon gets to play a bad guy with aplomb - just this side of being cartoonish without becoming ridiculous.  The entire cast shines.  And del Toro's screenplay gives each of them revealing moments.  Strickland's home life is depicted in an almost Douglas Sirkian manner.

You might describe this movie as an adult fairy tale.  It is definitely not for children.  Yet some of the best moments are innocent and child like: a bathroom is allowed to be submerged in sink water for a dance; a musical number appears unexpectedly; Elisa and Giles enjoy an old movie on T.V. together.  The amphibian man is well rendered and looks period appropriate. A few bits don't entirely work - namely an awkward attempt to comment on both racism and homophobia during a tense scene in a diner - but overall THE SHAPE OF WATER balances social, sexual, and political elements quite gracefully.  While I was reminded of movies like SPLASH and even LILO AND STITCH, del Toro has created a movie all his own, one that he has described as his most personal.