Unable to perceive the shape of you, I find you all around d me. Your presence fills my eyes with your love, it humbles my heart, for you are everywhere.
In a time where “love stories” have been limited to “romantic comedies” and subjected to perverse “Valentines releases” (yes, I’m looking at you “Fifty Shades” franchise) – “The Shape of Water” shows us that even in the strangest of places (secret laboratory) and during the most curious of times (the Cold War) and with the most mysterious of myths and circumstances, love grows and thrives; despite the many challenges surrounding it.
Elisa (Sally Hawkins) is a mute custodian in a secret laboratory in 1962 Baltimore becomes fascinated with an “amphibian man” / creature that is brought in to be studied and experimented on, so that he can be used in the space race against the Russians.
The “amphibian man” also known as “the asset” reveals violent tendencies and attacks the man who captured him in a river in South Africa, the intense and cruel Richard Strickland, played by Micheal Shannon. Despite this brutal attack Elisa forms a bond with the creature, teaching it how to use sign language as well as introducing music and hard boiled eggs.
When the order comes to terminate the creature in order to dissect it, Elisa must act fast before its too late.
The film is such a testament to an adult fairy tale that you can actually see yourself opening a story book about this strange yet captivating love story. Its well deserved wins during the recent 90th Academy Awards is a testament to that. Best Director Guilermo del Toro creates such a vivid world that you can actually smell it and taste it. You can feel the cold and damp in the air as the rain pours down.
The sets are so visceral you would actually want to clean out the dirt and the grime, which is funny considering that as custodians its the job of Elisa to actually “clean”. Small details such as broken tiles on the wall make the sets more realistic and yet still keep in time with their unique flavor and feel. Winning Best Achievement in Production Design is evidence of that.
I also have to give a shout out to the effective and hilarious tandem of Sally Hawkins and Octavia Spencer who were without a doubt a dynamic duo on their own, earning nominations for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress respectively for their roles. I believe that being mute, Elisa needed a “voice” and a “translator” in the story and this became Octavia Spencer’s hilarious and outspoken Zelda and Elisa’s closeted neighbor Giles, played by Richard Jenkin’s who is also nominated for Best Supporting Actor. The two could not be more different but share the same love for Elisa and in extension the amphibian man.
As a testament to its 1960’s setting the film also features the best music of the period through classic Hollywood movies and with some cute dancing from Elisa and Giles, I guess living on top of a movie theater has its advantages, which could also be attributed to its Original Score Academy Award win.
Truly a “love story for troubled times” -9/10 the film is a must see for those looking for a little magic and mystery in their life. It will transport you to a curious time and place with even more curious characters. Despite its oddities you will realize that love has always transcended anything and everything and isn’t that where its magic really lies in?