The Shape of Water was nominated for thirteen Oscars this year (more than any other movie this year), including Best Picture. The film follows three protagonists, each representing a minority group in the 1960’s of Baltimore.

Elisa, a mute woman, lives with a closeted gay artist and works closely in hand with her best friend Zelda, a black woman, cleaning a government laboratory. Elisa, played by Sally Hawkins, is introduced to a mysterious creature from South America, who she refers to as a “merman.”

Throughout the film, tensions are raised between Elisa and the creature, eventually developing into an intimate relation, one that many viewers can find disturbing. It’s a film about a woman falling in love with an “alien;”  however, I left the theater feeling as if I had gained something poetic from the film, not just a weird turn in my gut from watching two hours and three minutes of borderline bestiality.

The Shape of Water becomes a beautiful tale of survival, not just for the scaly creature held captive by the American government, but of the three friends that risk their lives to protect and rescue the creature. Surrounded by societal norms, the three friends face racial, homophobic, and sexual harassment in their daily lives, showing the audience why they’re so inclined to help a creature who is found to be different from everyone else.

The plot isn’t the only beautiful part of this film. The dialogue is amazingly written; in addition to the subtitles given for Elisa’s sign language, the conversations between the characters demonstrates the love and support they have for each other. Although the film itself didn’t bring me to tears, my feelings were definitely provoked. The cinematography was beautifully done, especially when introducing the underwater elements.

This film is definitely meant for a more mature audience, as it features some disturbing and sexual conduct. However, if you’re a fan of emotionally poetic films, this is for you.