The Shape of Water
Academy Award × 4
Rent/Purchase
An other-worldly story, set against the backdrop of Cold War era America circa 1962, where a mute janitor working at a lab falls in love with an amphibious man being held captive there and devises a plan to help him escape.
What critics thought
Guillermo del Toro's romantic fantasy earned sweeping acclaim for Sally Hawkins's wordless central performance, the lush cinematography, and del Toro's ability to make an unlikely love story feel emotionally genuine. A small number of critics found it overwrought, though that dissent was largely drowned out — and in at least one notorious case, undermined by factual errors in the review itself.
“one of del Toro's most stunningly successful works... also a powerful vision of a creative master feeling totally, joyously free”
Ben Croll·IndieWire
“Even as the film plunges into torment and tragedy, the core relationship between these two unlikely lovers holds us in thrall. Del Toro is a world-class film artist. There's no sense trying to analyze how he does it.”
Peter Travers·Rolling Stone
“The Shape of Water has tenderness uncommon to del Toro films. ... While The Shape of Water isn't groundbreaking, it is elegant and mesmerizing.”
Haley Bennett·Minnesota Daily
“a loopy, lunkheaded load of drivel”
Rex Reed·New York Observer
Genres
Drama, Fantasy, Romance
Cast & Crew
DirectorGuillermo del Toro
StarringSally Hawkins, Michael Shannon, Richard Jenkins, Octavia Spencer, Michael Stuhlbarg
ComposerAlexandre Desplat
The Shape of Water
Academy Award × 4
An other-worldly story, set against the backdrop of Cold War era America circa 1962, where a mute janitor working at a lab falls in love with an amphibious man being held captive there and devises a plan to help him escape.
What critics thought
Guillermo del Toro's romantic fantasy earned sweeping acclaim for Sally Hawkins's wordless central performance, the lush cinematography, and del Toro's ability to make an unlikely love story feel emotionally genuine. A small number of critics found it overwrought, though that dissent was largely drowned out — and in at least one notorious case, undermined by factual errors in the review itself.
“one of del Toro's most stunningly successful works... also a powerful vision of a creative master feeling totally, joyously free”
Ben Croll·IndieWire
“Even as the film plunges into torment and tragedy, the core relationship between these two unlikely lovers holds us in thrall. Del Toro is a world-class film artist. There's no sense trying to analyze how he does it.”
Peter Travers·Rolling Stone
“The Shape of Water has tenderness uncommon to del Toro films. ... While The Shape of Water isn't groundbreaking, it is elegant and mesmerizing.”
Haley Bennett·Minnesota Daily
“a loopy, lunkheaded load of drivel”
Rex Reed·New York Observer
Genres
Drama, Fantasy, Romance
Cast & Crew
DirectorGuillermo del Toro
StarringSally Hawkins, Michael Shannon, Richard Jenkins, Octavia Spencer, Michael Stuhlbarg
ComposerAlexandre Desplat
Rent/Purchase