The Shape of Water
The Shape of Water

The Shape of Water

2017Movie123 minEnglish

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.

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Insights

IMDb7.3/10
Rotten Tomatoes92%
Metacritic87
Google Users87%
Director: Guillermo del ToroGenres: Fantasy, Drama, Romance

Plot Summary

In the midst of the Cold War, a lonely mute janitor named Elisa works at a high-security government laboratory. Her life changes when she discovers a captured amphibious creature held within the facility. She forms a unique bond with the creature, leading her to hatch a daring plan to rescue it from the cruel experiments being conducted by a ruthless agent.

Critical Reception

The Shape of Water was a critical and commercial success, widely praised for its direction, performances, visual style, and emotional depth. It was lauded as a unique fairy tale for adults and a masterful blend of genres.

What Reviewers Say

  • Praised for its stunning visuals and Guillermo del Toro's signature fairy-tale aesthetic.
  • Sally Hawkins's performance as the mute protagonist was universally lauded as deeply moving.
  • The film's blend of fantasy, romance, and Cold War thriller elements was seen as ambitious and successful.

Google audience: Viewers were captivated by the film's original story, emotional resonance, and beautiful cinematography. Many appreciated the unique love story and the strong performances, particularly from Sally Hawkins.

Awards & Accolades

Winner of the Academy Award for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Score, and Best Production Design. Also won the Golden Globe for Best Director and Best Original Score.

Fun Fact

Director Guillermo del Toro conceived the idea for The Shape of Water over a decade before its release, originally imagining it as a horror film before evolving it into the fairy tale it became.

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My Review

TMDB Reviews

8 reviews
RalphRahal

RalphRahal

The Shape of Water is a well-written and beautifully executed film that truly lives up to its expectations. Guillermo del Toro brings his signature visual style and emotional storytelling to create a unique blend of fantasy and romance. Whi...
CinemaSerf

CinemaSerf

I appreciate that this probably isn't to everyone's taste - but I really enjoyed it. Set in 1960s America this is a story about a mute woman "Elisa" (Sally Hawkins) who ends up working as a cleaner at a top secret military facility where an...
GenerationofSwine

GenerationofSwin...

My girlfriend and I called it "the Fish F***er Movie" and that is really what it is...but it's also green, very, very green. Ever wondered how Abe from Hellboy had sex? Well this movie explains it. But honestly, it isn't bad. It's a t...
David Navratil

David Navratil

Just finished watching this movie and despite the other critical reviews I enjoyed it! No I don't think it deserved the BP Oscar but it is the kind of movie that I will be watching again in time! David N.
Filipe Manuel Neto

Filipe Manuel Ne...

**It's a good movie, but not as good as I was expecting.** I don't know many Guillermo del Toro movies, but I imagined this movie to be a little similar to “Pan's Labyrinth”, a work that I really liked. So I sat down to watch it with som...
John Chard

John Chard

Bend me, shape me, anyway you want me! Guillermo del Toro directs and co-writes with Vanessa Taylor what would turn out to be the Best Picture Academy Award Winner for 2017. A much loved film that's not without dissention in certain quar...
tmdb47633491

tmdb47633491

GDT's first truly great flick. The R-Rated Family Movie schtick always came off as silly or had a story too dull to carry its own weight. Characters and morality are two dimensional; the world functions via cartoon logic. But the love story...
Gimly

Gimly

Not just a love letter to the Creature from the Black Lagoon, but to cinema itself. Del Toro's _The Shape of Water_ is the "Who is the real monster?" question taken to the nth degree, with some some fascinating side-concepts that are explor...