The Lovely Bones

Right now you can watch The Lovely Bones in Australia on ABC iview, and in the US on Kanopy and Hoopla — and it goes further with its ideas than most genre entertainment bothers to. It knows exactly what kind of film it is from the opening scene, and never loses that thread. Its 7/10 TMDB score, built from 4,984 ratings, reflects a title that consistently delivers. Watch it for Saoirse Ronan — the performance elevates material that could easily tip into self-seriousness. Available now on ABC iview — press play and find out why people keep recommending it.

There is a reason The Lovely Bones keeps coming up in conversation. The Lovely Bones uses its genre premise as cover for asking bigger questions. After being brutally murdered, 14-year-old Susie Salmon watches from heaven over her grief-stricken family -- and her killer. As she observes their daily lives, she must balance her thirst for revenge with her desire for her family to heal. Saoirse Ronan and Mark Wahlberg lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 2009. The Lovely Bones resists the temptation to explain everything, trusting the audience to sit with ambiguity. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

Sci-fi fans who want ideas alongside the spectacle will find The Lovely Bones genuinely rewarding. It rewards viewers regardless of what else is in their watch history. Best experienced as a single, sustained watch from start to finish. Watch for Saoirse Ronan in particular — the performance elevates the material. Satisfying on multiple levels.