Shape of Water is beautiful but underwhelming

I may be an outsider here, but I didn't quite enjoy The Shape of Water as much as I should have. With this film garnering multiple Best Picture wins and the favorite to win the Academy Award for Best Picture, I felt underwhelmed. 

The story is simple because its a love story. A mute woman who cleans a government facility falls in love with one of their captured experiments and does everything she can to help the creature escape. There's nothing flashy or spectacular that merits this a must see film. I was never in awe with the acting or wide eyed at the visuals or shocked by the story. For me, everything fell into place to the point I almost felt bored watching the film. That may be a controversial opinion but The Shape of Water never touched me the same way other films that came out this year have. 

I must be missing something because The Shape of Water isn't the Best Picture film I expected it to be. The story doesn't do anything shocking and the acting feels bland and typical. On a positive note, the setting and costume design of this film is great as it makes you feel the 1950s in every detail. However, that's not enough to keep me entertained or even nominate The Shape of Water as the best picture of the year.  

- Mike