<Tr> <Th> Budget </Th> <Td> $65 million </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Box office </Th> <Td> $93.6 million </Td> </Tr> <P> The Lovely Bones is a 2009 supernatural drama film directed by Peter Jackson and starring Mark Wahlberg, Rachel Weisz, Susan Sarandon, Stanley Tucci, Michael Imperioli, and Saoirse Ronan . The screenplay by Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens and Jackson was based on the award - winning and bestselling 2002 novel of the same name by Alice Sebold . It follows a girl who is murdered and watches over her family from the in - between, and is torn between seeking vengeance on her killer and allowing her family to heal . An international co-production between the United States, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand, the film was produced by Carolynne Cunningham, Walsh, Jackson, and Aimee Peyronnet, with Steven Spielberg, Tessa Ross, Ken Kamins, and James Wilson as executive producers . Principal photography began in October 2007 in New Zealand and Pennsylvania, United States . The film's score was composed by Brian Eno . </P> <P> The Lovely Bones was first released on December 26, 2009, in New Zealand, and then internationally in January 2010 . The film's North American release date was changed multiple times, with a limited release on December 11, 2009, and a wider release on January 15, 2010 . It was released to mainly mixed reviews from critics; the story and its message were generally criticized, with praise mainly aimed at the visual effects, Peter Jackson's direction, and the performances of Ronan and Tucci . In the film's opening weekend, in limited release, it grossed $116,616, despite only having been screened in three theaters, placing it at 30th place on the box office chart . The Lovely Bones grossed over $44 million in North America . The film also received numerous accolades, including Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild, BAFTA and Academy Award nominations . </P>

What is the movie the lovely bones based on