History Film / LadyInTheWater

* MsFanservice: Young-Soon Choi. She's introduced with a shot that focuses on her [[BareYourMidriff midriff]] rather than her face, and is frequently seen in skimpy outfits.

* ChekhovsGunman: Literally every early background character becomes crucial to the plot later on. Reggie foreshadows his role when he talks about how [[spoiler:he's doing his "exercise experiments" because he wants to do something special]]. He's also watching in the background of a lot of crowd scenes... y'know, [[spoiler:like a watchman, or a guardian maybe?]]

* CreatorCameo: Shyamalan does this in all his films. This is the first time he plays a major character. But just what his character will do -- [[spoiler:namely, inspire a great world leader with his writing]] -- ticked a lot of people off [[SmallNameBigEgo for obvious reasons]].

%%* GiantFlyer: The Great Eathlon.
* InnocentFanserviceGirl: Because Narfs' ideas about nudity differ from humans', Story doesn't see the problem with someone seeing her wearing (only) a man's shirt.

%%* ItsBeenDone: The critic character says:

* LampshadeHanging: Harry Farber points out tropes because he does that for a living, in his reviews.

%%** Story herself is an InnocentFanserviceGirl.
* MysteriousWaif: Story is a mysterious otherworldly woman who shows up in the building's pool.

* AndManGrewProud: Man originally lived in harmony with the people of the water, who provided humanity with wisdom and guidance. Over time, however, humanity's need to control and dominate drove them further and further inland, away from the guidance of the water people, and into a destructive history or warfare, ignorance and ruin.

[[caption-width-right:288:[[TagLine Time is running out for a happy ending.]]]]

Creator/MNightShyamalan wrote, directed, and acted in this "grown-up bedtime story" about a UsefulNotes/{{Philadelphia}} apartment building superintendent named Cleveland (Creator/PaulGiamatti) who discovers a magical sea nymph named Story (Creator/BryceDallasHoward) who's been transported to this world and is living in the building's own swimming pool.

* LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters: ChekhovsGunman is important and there are many of them.

[[quoteright:270:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/lady-in-the-water-poster.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:270:[[TagLine Time is running out for a happy ending.]]]]

* CantArgueWithElves: The narfs are presented as wiser and more morally upstanding than humans, and humans war among themselves apparently by not listening to those in the water.

* AndManGrewProud: The point of the prologue.
-->"Once, Man and those in the water were linked. They inspired us. They spoke of the future. Man listened and it became real. But Man does not listen very well. Man's need to own everything led him deeper into land. The magic world of the ones that lived in the ocean … and the world of men … separated. Through the centuries, their world and all the inhabitants of it … stopped trying. The world of Man became more violent. War upon war played out, as there were no guides to listen to. Now those in the water are trying again … trying to reach us. A handful of their precious young ones have been sent into the world of Man. They are brought in the dead of night … to where Man lives. They need only be glimpsed … and the awakening of Man will happen. But their enemies roam the land. There are laws that are meant to keep the young ones safe … but they are sent at great risk to their lives. Many … do not return. Yet still they try … try to help Man. But Man has forgotten how to listen…"

* ChekhovsGunman: [[spoiler:Much like how ''Film/InglouriousBasterds'' is a tribute to the MagnificentBastard trope, this movie revels in this one. Literally every early background character becomes crucial to the plot later on. Reggie foreshadows his role when he talks about how he's doing his "exercise experiments" because he wants to do something special.]] He's also watching in the background of a lot of crowd scenes … y'know, [[spoiler:like a watchman, or a guardian maybe?]]
* TheChosenMany: In order for Story to both recover from the Scrunt's initial attack and return home, a special ritual must be performed which will heal her and summon the Great Eatlon, a massive eagle that will take her back to the Blue World. The ritual requires several specially-chosen individuals: a Healer, a Symbolist, a Guild, and a Guardian. Story assumes that Heep, who initially saved her from the Scrunt, is her Guardian; Heep in turn asks Farber the film critic to fill the other roles, and he names KindheartedCatLover Mrs. Bell as the Healer, a group of [[TheStoner pot smokers]] as the Guild, and the crossword-loving Dury as the Symbolist. [[spoiler: Unfortunately, every choice is wrong. The ''true'' Chosen Many are as follows: Dury's young son, who makes up stories based on cereal boxes, is the Symbolist; a group of [[RuleOfSeven seven]] women (mostly sisters) from a neighboring apartment building is the Guild; a TopHeavyGuy named Reggie is the Guardian; and Heep himself, a disgraced former doctor, is the Healer; Mrs. Bell also takes on a kind of shamanic role by leading the group in the spell. Once the Chosen Many know and complete their duties, the ritual is complete and Story escapes to safety.]]

* ItsBeenDone: The critic character says:
-->"There is no originality left in the world, Mr. Heep. That is a sad fact I've come to live with."

* MetaTwist: In the context of Shyamalan's previous films.

* PleasePutSomeClothesOn: Hence why Cleveland gives Story his shirt.

* RuleOfSeven: [[spoiler: The Guild--one of the groups required for Story's healing ritual--is composed of seven women from the neighboring apartment building.]]

* AlmightyJanitor: Cleveland, to an extent.

* FishOutOfWater: Story, literally, since she's a narf.

* GiantFlyer: The Great Eathlon.

* ManiacMonkeys: The Tartutic.

** Story herself is an InnocentFanserviceGirl.

* SavageWolves: The Scrunts.

** There are only three of them, not a whole species.

* ShrinkingViolet: Story has a timid nature.

* AuthorAvatar: Vick is a visionary writer played by Shyamalan himself. [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools Tropes Are Not Good]] as Shyamalan was further mocked for his egotistical casting and his flat performance. The existence of the StrawCritic character doesn't help Shyamalan's case either.

* TheChosenMany: In order for Story to both recover from the Scrunt's initial attack and return home, a special ritual must be performed which will heal her and summon the Great Eatlon, a massive eagle that will take her back to the Blue World. The ritual requires several specially-chosen individuals: a Healer, a Symbolist, a Guild, and a Guardian. Story assumes that Heep, who initially saved her from the Scrunt, is her Guardian; Heep in turn asks Farber the film critic to fill the other roles, and he names KindheartedCatLover Mrs. Bell as the Healer, a group of [[TheStoner pot smokers]] as the Guild, and the crossword-loving Dury as the Symbolist. [[spoiler: Unfortunately, every choice is wrong. The ''true'' Chosen Many are as follows: Dury's young son, who makes up stories based on cereal boxes, is the Symbolist; a group of [[RuleOfSeven seven]] women (mostly sisters) from a neighboring apartment building is the Guild; a TopHeavyGuy named Reggie is the Guardian; and Heep himself, a disgraced former doctor, is the Healer. Once the proper roles are assigned, the ritual is complete and Story escapes to safety.

Creator/MNightShyamalan wrote, directed and acted in this self-proclaimed, "grown-up bedtime story" about a UsefulNotes/{{Philadelphia}} apartment building superintendent named Cleveland (Creator/PaulGiamatti) who discovers a magical sea nymph named Story (Creator/BryceDallasHoward) who's been transported to this world and is living in the building's own swimming pool.

* AsianAirhead: Young-Soon Choi, the none-too-stellar Korean student.

* ChekhovsGunman: [[spoiler:Much like ''Film/InglouriousBasterds'' is a tribute to the MagnificentBastard trope, this movie revels in this one. Literally every early background character becomes crucial to the plot later on. Reggie's role was foreshadowed when he talks about how he's doing his "exercise experiments" because he wants to do something special.]] He's also watching in the background of a lot of crowd scenes … y'know, [[spoiler:like a watchman, or a guardian maybe?]]

* CreatorCameo: Shyamalan does this in all his films. This is the first time he plays a major character. But just what his character will do — [[spoiler:namely, inspire a great world leader with his writing]] — ticked a lot of people off [[SmallNameBigEgo for obvious reasons]].

* FieryRedhead: Inverted with Story, who is quite mild-mannered, if not outright timid despite having gorgeous red hair.

* LampshadeHanging: The critic points out tropes because he does that for a living, in his reviews.

* NotWhatItLooksLike: Vick's sister assumes Cleveland and Story are up to no good when she and Vick see Story wearing nothing but Cleveland's shirt.

%%* RedemptionInTheRain

* SelfMadeOrphan: The Tartutic are described as being so evil, they killed their parents as soon as they were born. ([[FridgeLogic One wonders]] [[Headscratchers/HomePage how the species survives]], if they're that uncooperative.)

* StrawCritic: Harry Farber exists to give the "no originality" spiel and get killed because he thinks he's SeenItAll.
** Creator/RogerEbert noted in his review that the critic is proven to be ''right'', and Heep misinterpreted everything.
* TakeThatCritics: The critic, whose demise is a thinly-veiled TakeThat against people who don't like Shyamalan's movies. This ''badly'' backfired on Shyamalan, for obvious reasons. Creator/MarkKermode pointed out in his review that it was the critics had championed his films in the first place, a fact which made Shyamalan come across as an UngratefulBastard.

* WrongGenreSavvy: Once the characters catch onto the fact that they're in a fairy tale, they assume they know the roles they should play. They're wrong.

* AuthorAvatar: Vick is a visionary writer played by Shyamalan himself. [[TropesAreTools Tropes Are Not Good]] as Shyamalan was further mocked for his egotistical casting and his flat performance. The existence of the StrawCritic character doesn't help Shyamalan's case either.

Creator/MNightShyamalan writes, directs, and acts in this self-proclaimed, "grown-up bedtime story" about a UsefulNotes/{{Philadelphia}} apartment building superintendent named Cleveland (Creator/PaulGiamatti) who discovers a magical sea nymph named Story (Creator/BryceDallasHoward) who's been transported to this world and is living in the building's own swimming pool.

* TakeThatCritics: The critic, whose demise is a thinly-veiled TakeThat against people who don't like Shyamalan's movies. This ''badly'' backfired on Shyamalan, for obvious reasons. Creator/MarkKermode pointed out in his review that it was the critics had championed his films in the first place, a fact which made Shyamalan come across as an UngratefulBastard at worst.

* TakeThatCritics: The critic, whose demise is a thinly-veiled TakeThat against people who don't like Shyamalan's movies. This ''badly'' backfired on Shyamalan, for obvious reasons. Creator/MarkKermode pointed out in his review that the critics had championed his films in the first place.

* SelfMadeOrphan: The Tartutic are described as being so evil, they killed their parents as soon as they were born. ([[FridgeLogic One wonders]] [[{{Headscratchers}} how the species survives]], if they're that uncooperative.)

Creator/MNightShyamalan writes, directs, and acts in this self-proclaimed, “grown-up bedtime story” about a UsefulNotes/{{Philadelphia}} apartment building superintendent named Cleveland (Creator/PaulGiamatti) who discovers a magical sea nymph named Story (Creator/BryceDallasHoward) who’s been transported to this world and is living in the building’s own swimming pool.

As this bizarre revelation sinks in, Cleveland becomes enraptured by her otherworldly charm. As he shelters her in his apartment, other inhabitants of the building begin falling into place as representations of characters from an Eastern myth in which these mermaids, or “narfs,” coexist unhappily with more beastly and violent characters.

-->“Once, Man and those in the water were linked. They inspired us. They spoke of the future. Man listened and it became real. But Man does not listen very well. Man’s need to own everything led him deeper into land. The magic world of the ones that lived in the ocean … and the world of men … separated. Through the centuries, their world and all the inhabitants of it … stopped trying. The world of Man became more violent. War upon war played out, as there were no guides to listen to. Now those in the water are trying again … trying to reach us. A handful of their precious young ones have been sent into the world of Man. They are brought in the dead of night … to where Man lives. They need only be glimpsed … and the awakening of Man will happen. But their enemies roam the land. There are laws that are meant to keep the young ones safe … but they are sent at great risk to their lives. Many … do not return. Yet still they try … try to help Man. But Man has forgotten how to listen…”

* AuthorAvatar: Vick is a visionary writer played by Shyamalan himself. [[TropesAreTools Tropes Are Not Good]] as Shyamalan was further mocked for his egotistical casting and his flat performance. The existence of the StrawCritic character doesn’t help Shyamalan’s case either.
* BaitAndSwitch: Everyone for Story’s team. [[spoiler:Cleveland is the Healer, [[DeusExMachina Reggie]] is the Guardian, the Guild comprises the [[RuleOfSeven seven]] women from the other apartment, and Joey Dury turns out to be the Interpreter, whereas his father was presumed to be the Interpreter.]]
* ChekhovsGunman: [[spoiler:Much like ''Film/InglouriousBasterds'' is a tribute to the MagnificentBastard trope, this movie revels in this one. Literally every early background character becomes crucial to the plot later on. Reggie’s role was foreshadowed when he talks about how he’s doing his “exercise experiments” because he wants to do something special.]] He’s also watching in the background of a lot of crowd scenes … y’know, [[spoiler:like a watchman, or a guardian maybe?]]
* ColorMotif: Like ''Film/TheVillage'', Story’s red hair turning blonde symbolizes safety.

* DeathByGenreSavviness: The critic, whose demise is a thinly-veiled TakeThat against people who don’t like Shyamalan's movies.

* FishOutOfWater: Story, literally, since she’s a narf.

* InnocentFanserviceGirl: Because Narfs’ ideas about nudity differ from humans’, Story doesn’t see the problem with someone seeing her wearing (only) a man’s shirt.

-->“There is no originality left in the world, Mr. Heep. That is a sad fact I’ve come to live with.”

* MeaningfulName: Story has come to “awaken” a story in someone.
* MetaTwist: In the context of Shyamalan’s previous films.
* MsFanservice: Young-Soon Choi. She’s introduced with a shot that focuses on her [[BareYourMidriff midriff]] rather than her face, and is frequently seen in skimpy outfits.

* MysteriousWaif: Story is a mysterious otherworldly woman who shows up in the building’s pool.

* NotWhatItLooksLike: Vick’s sister assumes Cleveland and Story are up to no good when she and Vick see Story wearing nothing but Cleveland’s shirt.
* OurMermaidsAreDifferent: Narfs are sea nymphs that exist to “awaken” people and get carried away by [[GiantFlyer giant eagles]].

* PowerDyesYourHair: A magic healing turns Story’s ginger hair blonde.

* ScareChord: Used here and there to play with the audience, mostly relying on Shyamalan’s reputation as a director of horrors and thrillers.
* SelfMadeOrphan: The Tartutic are described as being so evil, they killed their parents as soon as they were born. ([[FridgeLogic One wonders]] [[{{Headscratchers}} how the species survives]], if they’re that uncooperative.)

* StrawCritic: Harry Farber exists to give the “no originality” spiel and get killed because he thinks he’s SeenItAll.

* TakeThatCritics: The critic, whose demise is a thinly-veiled TakeThat against people who don’t like Shyamalan’s movies. This ''badly'' backfired on Shyamalan, for obvious reasons. Creator/MarkKermode pointed out in his review that the critics had championed his films in the first place.

* WrongGenreSavvy: Once the characters catch onto the fact that they’re in a fairy tale, they assume they know the roles they should play. They’re wrong.

[[caption-width-right:270:Time is running out for a happy ending.]]

Creator/MNightShyamalan writes, directs, and acts in this self-proclaimed, grown-up "bedtime story" about an apartment building superintendent named Cleveland (Paul Giamatti) who discovers a magical sea-nymph named Story (Bryce Dallas Howard) who's been transported to this world and is living in the building's own swimming pool.

As this bizarre revelation sinks in, Cleveland becomes enraptured by her other-worldly charm. As he shelters her in his apartment, other inhabitants of the building begin falling into place as representations of characters from an Eastern myth in which these mermaids, or "narfs," co-exist unhappily with more beastly and violent characters.

In human reality, the forces of darkness that threaten the heroes of a fairy tale prove to be much more terrifying, and the victory of good over evil is by no means guaranteed. Jeffery Wright, Jared Harris and Mary Beth Hurt co-star, as well as Shyamalan himself, playing [[AuthorAvatar the visionary writer Vick]].

* AsianAirhead: Young-Soon Choi, the none-too-stellar Korean student.
* AuthorAvatar: Vick is a visionary writer played by Shyamalan himself. TropesAreNotGood as Shyamalan was further mocked for his egotistical casting. The existence of the StrawCritic character doesn't help Shyamalan's case either.

* BaitAndSwitch: Everyone for Story's team. [[spoiler:Cleaveland is the Healer, [[DeusExMachina Reggie]] is the Guardian, the Guild is the women from the other apartment, and the son of the man thought to be the Interpreter is the real Interpreter .]]
* ChekhovsGunman: [[spoiler:Much like ''Film/InglouriousBasterds'' is a tribute to the MagnificentBastard trope, this movie revels in this one. Literally every early background character becomes crucial to the plot later on. Reggie's role was foreshadowed when he talks about how he's doing his "exercise experiments" because he wants to do something special.]] He's also watching in the background of a lot of crowd scenes... y'know, [[spoiler:like a watchman, or a guardian maybe?]]
* ColorMotif: Similar to ''Film/TheVillage'', Story's red hair turning blonde symbolizes safety.
* CreatorCameo: Shyamalan does this in all his films. This is the first time he's a major character. But just what his character will do--[[spoiler:namely, inspire a great world leader with his writing]]--ticked a lot of people off [[SmallNameBigEgo for obvious reasons]].
* DeathByGenreSavviness: The critic, whose demise is a thinly-veiled TakeThat against people who don't like Shyamalan's movies.
* FieryRedhead: Averted with Story, who is quite mild-mannered, if not outright timid despite having gorgeous red hair.
* FishOutOfWater: Story, literally, since she's a narf.
* {{Foreshadowing}}: Early in the film, Story learns that Cleaveland was once a doctor. [[spoiler: In other words, a Healer.]]

* InnocentFanserviceGirl: Narfs have different ideas about nudity than humans so Story doesn't see the problem with someone seeing her wearing a man's shirt.

-->"There is no originality left in the world, Mr. Heep. That is a sad fact I've come to live with."
* LampshadeHanging: The critic points out tropes because that's what he does for a living, in his reviews.
* LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters: ChekhovsGunman is important and there are a lot of them.

* MeaningfulName: Story has come to "awaken" a story in someone.
* MetaTwist: In the context of Shyamalan's other films.
* MsFanservice: Young-Soon Choi. She's introduced with a shot that focuses on her midriff rather than her face and is frequently seen in skimpy outfits.

* MysteriousWaif: Story is a mysterious otherwordly woman that shows up in the building's pool.

* NoSenseOfPersonalSpace: Story is very close to Cleaveland. The first scene with the Scrunt shows her cuddling up to him beforehand.
* NotWhatItLooksLike: Vick's sister assumes Cleveland and Story are up to no good when she and Vick see Story wearing nothing but his shirt.
* OurMermaidsAreDifferent: Narfs are sea nymphs that exist to "awaken" people and get carried away by [[GiantFlyer giant eagles]].
* PleasePutSomeClothesOn: The reason Cleaveland gives Story his shirt in the first place.
* PowerDyesYourHair: A magic healing turns Story's ginger hair blonde.

* ScareChord: Used here and there to play with the audience, mostly relying on Shyamalan reputation as director of horrors and thrillers.
* SelfMadeOrphan: The Tartutic are described as being so evil that they killed their parents as soon as they were born. ([[FridgeLogic One wonders]] [[{{Headscratchers}} how the species survives]], if they're that uncooperative.)
** There's only three of them, not a whole species.

* StrawCritic: The critic exists to give the "no originality" spiel and get killed because he thinks he's SeenItAll.
** Creator/RogerEbert noted in his review that the critic is proven to be ''right'', and that Heep misinterpreted everything.
* TakeThatCritics: The critic, whose demise is a thinly-veiled TakeThat against people who don't like Shyamalan's movies. This ''badly'' backfired on Shyamalan, for obvious reasons. Creator/MarkKermode pointed out in his review that it was the critics who were championing his films in the first place.

* WrongGenreSavvy: Once the characters catch onto the fact that they're in a fairy tale, they assume they know the roles they should play. They're wrong.

* InnocentFanserviceGirl: Narf's have different ideas about nudity than humans so Story doesn't see the problem with someone seeing her wearing a man's shirt.

Held up by many to be when Shyamalan's fall from grace truly began.

* CreatorCameo: Shyamalan does this in all his films. This is the first time he's a major character. But just what his character will do--[[spoiler:namely, inspire a great world leader with his writing]]--ticked a lot of people off [[Main/SmallNameBigEgo for obvious reasons]].

[[caption-width-right:260:Time is running out for a happy ending.]]