I had hoped to absolutely adore this film, because at its heart is a beautiful Pygmalion fairy tale, but too much perversion (all of it unnecessary) stood in the way, also shooing several families with young children right out the door on New Year's Eve eve.
Drats!
I love Michael Shannon, Michael Stuhlbarg, Octavia Spencer, Richard Jenkins, and most of what Guillermo del Toro creates, but Sally Hawkins (otherwise quirky and fun in Paddington Bear and Maudie) drove me berserk in this vehicle. Fingernails-on-a-chalkboard berserk.
It's a gorgeous, lushly shot film, always incandescent with a rather Ozian, emerald green hue, almost like seeing the world through lime jello, but alas....
On to what's next, then, I suppose: All the Money in the World and Downsizing.
