Lady In The Water (2006) Synopsis:
From writer-director M. Night Shyamalan (The Village, Signs, Unbreakable, The Sixth Sense) comes Lady in the Water, a story originally conceived by Shyamalan for his children.
Fate won’t let you hide forever.
Cleveland Heep (Paul Giamatti) has been quietly trying to disappear among the burned-out lightbulbs and broken appliances of the Cove apartment complex. But on the night that irrevocably changes his life, Cleveland finds someone else hiding in the mundane routine of the modest building – a mysterious young woman named Story (Bryce Dallas Howard), who has been living in the passageways beneath the building’s swimming pool. Cleveland discovers that Story is actually a “narf” – a nymph-like character from an epic bedtime story who is being stalked by vicious creatures determined to prevent her from making the treacherous journey from our world back to hers. Story’s unique powers of perception reveal the fates of Cleveland’s fellow tenants, whose destinies are tied directly to her own, and they must work together to decipher a series of codes that will unlock the pathway to her freedom. But the window of opportunity for Story to return home is closing rapidly, and the tenants are putting their own lives at great risk to help her. Cleveland will have to face the demons that have followed him to the Cove – and the other tenants must seize the special powers that Story has brought out in them – if they hope to succeed in their daring and dangerous quest to save her world...and ours.
Lady In The Water (2006) Movie Review:
Because of M. Night Shyamalan’s successful Oscar-nominated “The Sixth Sense,” followed by some notable reviews for “Signs” and “Unbreakable” and the strange credit card commercials starring this filmmaker, fans have been holding held their breath hoping his “Lady in the Water” might be worth seeing. Hold your breath no more, folks, for this film lacks even one moment of intrigue.
When Cleveland Heep (Paul Giamatti) suffers a life-changing event, he takes a job as an apartment complex superintendent that, no surprise, butts up against an ominous looking forest. Several times he believes one of the tenants is sneaking into the pool after hours. On one particular night Cleveland actually sees a young woman (Bryce Dallas Howard) emerge from the pool, then descend back into the water. He waits for her to surface again -- and when she doesn’t, he dives in to save her. He doesn’t find her in the water, but curled up in a corner of the building instead. Cleveland takes the water soaked child-like nymph, who is breathing and calls herself Story, into his apartment. When she cuddles against him, serene and exhausted, he can’t resist letting her stay.
The next day Story tells Cleveland that she is a narf, a female from a children’s story. She then explains her desire to journey back to her home, the Blue World. However, there are horrible grotesque animals who want to stop her. As Cleveland makes his rounds that day, he learns one of the tenants (Cindy Cheung) and her mother know about the fable, and over the course of several days, discovers more about the narf legend and what must become of Story.
After Cleveland notices different peculiarities of the tenants, he figures out they (as well as himself) are characters in the fable. They must all help Story by deciphering clues that will allow them to be the conduit to her journey. They must do it quickly or face horrific consequences of danger from the creatures lurking in the forest.
Far-fetched is the kindest thing to say about “Lady in the Water.” This story takes place in a contemporary world, so imagine an apartment building of tenants comprised of Jewish, Latino, Afro-Americans, Korean and Americans who not only all fall for this lark, but in one day pledge their physical support to make it happen. In today’s world you couldn’t get that many unlike-minded people to agree about taking their trash out on the same day.
Key among these tenants is Vick, a cookbook writer who has grandiose ideas concerning how his book will help people. Shyamalan plays this character, and one has to wonder how large his ego is to make that casting decision. Vick’s harebrained philosophical rantings seem meaningless as they barely relate to the story, and Shyamalan’s acting comes across as boring and insincere.
One perplexing character is Mr. Farber (Bob Balaban), a book and film critic with a caustic personality and an annoying self-image. It’s hard to tell if he resembles one particular critic or all critics to Shyamalan, as this character gets his comeuppance in a very gruesome way.
The fright elements in this film are sadly lacking. There are a few of those sudden loud noises that are supposed to make you jump but don’t. The worst offender is the animal Scrunt, a fierce hyena-like creature that wants to harm Story. It’s basically a dog with porcupine-like spikes. As Scrunt moves back and forth making weird noises, it looks like the CG creation it is.
For viewers to get involved in a film, it needs sympathetic characters. I didn’t like anyone in this movie. The role of Cleveland is far below Giamatti’s (Academy-Award nominated for “Cinderella Man”) caliber of talent. He has a stutter, except when he’s next to Story, but he handles the impediment like a cat with a hair ball, and it’s unpleasant every time he speaks.
Bryce Dallas Howard, who became enthralled with Shyamalan after he cast her in “The Village,” showed a great deal of acting potential in that film. Unfortunately, her role in “Lady in the Water” mostly involves being curled up in a helpless heap while barely able to whisper her needs.
“Lady in the Water” is a disjointed and mind-numbing story. Shyamalan, who plans to turn the tale into a children’s book, said, “If I told you Santa Claus is real, you wouldn’t [believe it].” He’s right, and after listening to similar yarns a small child might make up, we’d pat the little one on the head, then send him or her off for a nap. And a nap is what many viewers may take during this disappointing movie.
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Lady In The Water (2006) review written by: Diana Saenger
6th September, 2008 
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