Movie: Finding Neverland
Starring Johnny Depp, Kate Winslet, Julie Christie
Directed By Marc Forster; Written by David Magee (Miramax)
Reviewed by Rusty Pipes

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No, Finding Neverland is not a story about a lost Michael Jackson, it's about the man who wrote Peter Pan and it's one of the best movies you will come across this year.

I was expecting a chick flick, but since it was Johnny Depp I screwed up my courage to wade in anyway. I was pleasantly surprised by a deep and rewarding story.

The movie is based on the life of James Barrie and he is flawlessly played by Depp. Barrie of course is the Scottish playwright who in 1904 came up with the seminal fantasy that's been flying through kids' imaginations for the last hundred years. The film is largely factual and reminds me of Topsy Turvey, the story of Gilbert and Sullivan who lived in London around the same time. It's also similar to another story of the London stage, Shakespeare In Love, but it lacks the latter's flamboyance. To make up for it, Director Marc Forester infuses Finding Neverland with its own unique sense of delight through impeccable performances and a very light touch on the surreal.

As the movie opens, Barrie and his producer, Charles Frohman (Dustin Hoffman), are reeling from a recent Barrie-penned disaster. Seeking new inspiration, he befriends Llewelyn Davies (Kate Winslet) and her family of four young boys. Barrie however already has a wife (Radha Mitchell) and the lacy vultures of polite society begin to circle. Gossip about the seemingly unseemly relationship of the recent widow and the married author brings out Llewelyn's mother (Julie Christie), who tries to block Barrie from playing father to the kids, especially Peter (well played by Freddie Highmore). Barrie however seeks only to re-open their hearts to something that's been lost, a child's sense of wonder.

As a story of post-Victorian high society this could have been another dreadfully stuffy Masterpiece Theater installment, but it's as much about finding your muse and bringing to life a timeless, fanciful adventure. At that it succeeds dramatically.

The Skinny:
Did I enjoy the movie? I hoped it would never land.
Would I go to see it again? Next time I wish on a star.

© 2005 - Rusty Pipes