"My name is Salmon, like the fish. First name, Susie. I was 14 years old when I was murdered on Dec. 6, 1973."

Those words begin the journey of the life and afterlife story of suburban teenage girl Susie Salmon, the eldest child in the Salmon family. She is a loving, brave, bright and cheerful person.

Susie narrates the story piece-by-piece from beyond the grave, revealing her anger, hopes and dreams.

Set in the 1970s, Susie tells us how happy her life was living with her parents, Jack and Abigail, her sister Lindsey, and Buckley, her little brother.

She's an ordinary girl who liked riding her bike, had the occasional argument with her siblings, hung out with her girlfriends after school and had a crush on a boy.

Her perfect life was suddenly turned on its head one gloomy afternoon when she was murdered by her neighbor, George Harvey, on her way home. Her body was never found.

So, what more can we expect from the movie in which the lead character is killed in the opening scenes place and we already known the identity of the murderer? Isn't that what the movie is all about?

Hold on, people. Relax. You should keep in mind that this is not a film where a hero chases a bad guy, throws some punches and fires off a string of machine guns. The story is way deeper than that.

Susie has the answer: "I wasn't gone. I was alive in my own perfect world. But in my heart, I knew it wasn't perfect. My murderer still haunted me. My father had the pieces but he couldn't make them fit. I waited for justice but justice did not come."

Trapped in the "in-between" world, Susie watches over her family while her killer is still around and untouched by the police.

Departed from the world in such a young age in a brutal way, Susie only has rage inside her, yearning for revenge against her killer.

In the world of the living, the death of the beloved daughter has torn the Salmons apart.

Susie's father becomes obsessed with solving her murder, while her mother refuses to go near Susie's bedroom to block out memories.

As her parents' frustration over the police's failure in solving the crime grows, Susie tries to guide her father to uncover the identity of the murderer.

Meanwhile, in the "in-between" world, Susie befriends Holly, who encourages her to let go of the things she has lost and start to move on.

Adapted from Alice Sebold's 2002 novel by the same title, the film offers a unique point-of-view of the afterlife, wrapping it into a touching yet breathtakingly thrilling dark drama.

The story also features the strong connection between Jack and Susie as a father and daughter.

To play Susie, the filmmakers chose Saoirse Ronan, who began her acting career at nine. Among her films are I Could Never Be Your Woman, Death Defying Acts, City of Ember and Atonement.

Mark Wahlberg did a good job as Jack, who is racked with guilt over his inability to protect his daughter.

Playing Abigail is British actress Rachel Weisz, while Susan Sarandon plays the eccentric Grandma Lynn, who takes over running the Salmon family when both Jack and Abigail immerse themselves in a never-ending grief.

Thumbs up for Stanley Tucci who well portrays the villain George Harvey. Tucci plays Harvey as a normal man who does gardening and chats with the neighbors, all the while hiding a dark secret.

The cast also holds a host of young stars, including Rose McIver as Susie's smart younger sister; Nikki Soohoo as Holly, Susie's bestfriend in the in-between world; Reece Ritchie as Ray Singh, Susie's first love and Carolyn Dando as Ruth, Susie's classmate who has a supernatural connection with Susie after her death.

Director Peter Jackson, recognized for making Lord of the Rings trilogy, is the right man to capture the "in-between" world.

The "in-between" is a sort of limbo between Heaven and Earth, a place where Susie stops on her spiritual and emotional journey before she is ready to move on.

Jackson takes us to the imaginary world, which is a mixture of beautiful, strange and comforting yet sad things.

More over, it's interesting to see how the story ends, Susie has to make the choice between her desire for vengeance or let go off her rage and pain to see the ones she love heal their grief.

Verdict: If you are the kind of person who doesn't believe in the afterlife, don't take this film too personally. It's an emotional drama with some qualified stars that is worth a watch.

Lovely Bones, (DreamWorks Pictures, 139 minutes)

Directed by Peter Jackson

Produced by Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, Carolynne Cunningham, Aim*e Peyronnet, Steven Spielberg

Written by Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Alice Sebold

Starring Saoirse Ronan, Mark Wahlberg, Rachel Weisz, Susan Sarandon, Stanley Tucci, Michael Imperioli

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