Shape of Water - 4 smiles

"The Shape of Water," written and directed by Guillermo del Toro, is an adult fairy tale, a version of Beauty and the Beast where the beast looks like the Creature from the Black Lagoon and Beauty is mute. It is a heartfelt story where appearance is not a measure of beauty, gentleness and compassion. The movie, set in the 1960s when the real world, mixes Russia and the Cold War with fantasy. The three protagonists are members of a minority or suffer from a disability: Sally Hawkins' Elisa is mute, Octavia Spencer's Zelda is black and Richard Jenkins' Giles is a closeted gay man, while the antagonist, Michael Shannon's Strickland, is a clean-cut, hard-working WASP. This allows del Toro to make social commentary way before the conflict at the heart of the story begins. The romantic aspect of the movie illustrates why this is not your conventional love story. Both Elisa and the creature are lonely souls. We know little about his background except he was 'discovered' in the Amazon where he was worshipped as a god. Elisa's story is equally murky, although we learn that, as a child, she was orphaned after someone tried to slit her throat. The message is very clear: physical appearance is irrelevant; it's the heart that matters.

Sally Hawkins gives the best performance in a career full of top-notch portrayals. She sells the movie, transforming an inter-species romance into something delicate and delightful. And she does this without any dialogue. Few actors can convey menace better than Michael Shannon. His scary intensity makes Strickland a frightening villain; a sadist, a butcher, an ugly patriot. Richard Jenkins mixes wry humor with deep compassion as Giles and an underused Octavia Spencer brings warmth to the stereotyped 'best friend' role. Doug Jones, who spent hours in makeup, imbues the amphibious man with a degree of humanity that makes his relationship with Elisa all the more believable. "The Shape of Water" is a special movie with relevant themes and a strong payoff. It rebukes intolerance and affirms love in all its forms. This is one of the year's best motion pictures.