The film is set in the early sixties during the days of the Cold War and the look and feel of the sets and costume design envelopes the viewer in a not so distant past that now feels ages ago. The casting is exemplary and Michael Shannon as the creepy government man and Sally Hawkins as the heroine of the piece give very affecting performances. Hawkins sets a high water mark in a rich career as Elisa Esposito, a cleaning lady that has been left mute by a childhood trauma. Her ability to say so much without words is spellbinding.

The story involves a shadow arm of the government that runs a laboratory in Baltimore on the East Coast of America. There they are studying an amphibious creature that was found in the jungles of South America.The casual cruelty shown to the creature by the G Men is in stark contrast to the love and caring shown by Hawkins’ character.

The film has a fantastic look and a very touching heart at its core. The faces of good and evil are very distinctly written and while this obviousness in most director’s hand would lead to a bland end result, del Toro has such a well developed visual and dramatic sense, it remains engaging throughout.

Rob Hudson
www.facebook.com/theshapeofwater

If I told you about her. The princess without voice . . .

From master storyteller Guillermo del Toro comes THE SHAPE OF WATER, an otherworldly fable set against the backdrop of Cold War era America circa 1962. In the hidden high-security government laboratory where she works, lonely Elisa (Sally Hawkins) is trapped in a life of isolation.

Elisa’s life is changed forever when she and co-worker Zelda (Octavia Spencer) discover a secret classified experiment – a mysterious, scaled creature from South America that lives in a water tank. As Elisa develops a unique bond with her new friend, she soon learns that its fate and very survival lies in the hands of a hostile government agent and a marine biologist.

Rounding out the cast are Michael Shannon, Richard Jenkins, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Doug Jones. The Shape of Water opens at selected cinemas 18 January 2018.

Dendy Dames screening of The Shape of Water
Screening at Dendy Portside and Dendy Coorparoo 7pm 10 January 2018
Also showing at Canberra and Newtown
www.dendy.com.au