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Overview

Based on the bestseller by Alice Sebold, The Lovely Bones tells the story of a young teenage girl who is murdered and watches from heaven as her family tries to reconcile her loss and sniff out her killer. It captures the emotional and psychological repercussions of the victim’s need to come to terms with the violation as well as the needs of her loved ones left behind.
This guide will help you discuss some of the questions raised by the film, particularly as they relate to the human struggle with grief after unthinkable trauma, the film’s interpretation of the afterlife, and the problematic coexistence of forgiveness and justice.

Discussion Guide

    • Movie Summary

    • Discussing the Scenes

—Grief
(Psalm 34:19, Romans 8:28, 2 Corinthians 1:3-7)

—Heaven
(Revelation 21:10-23, Revelation 21:3, Revelation 7:17)

—Forgiveness vs. Justice
(Matthew 6:14-15, Romans 12:9-21)

Based On

The Lovely Bones (Paramount Pictures, 2009), directed by Peter Jackson, rated PG-13.