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Finding Neverland
Directed by Marc Forster. Story: The tale of how J. M. Barrie came to write Peter Pan. Running Time: 1hr 41 minutes. Certificate PG.
Once upon a time, a few years ago, I took a meat pie out of the freezer and cooked it with chips and peas. I sat down in front of the telly and took a nice big steaming mouthful. Just as it was entering my cakehole I was distracted for a moment, thinking that meat pies don't usually have sugar on them, when the taste of apples exploded inside my gob. It turns out that I hadn't been concentrating and had in fact taken an apple pie out of the freezer instead of a meat pie and had cooked and served it without noticing. Because I'd been geared up for dead cow, the flavour of apples seemed far stronger than usual and was a major surprise. Finding Neverland does the same thing - while superficially appearing to be about Peter Pan and mucking about, it's actually preparing a poignant tale of love and loss, about dealing with life and death in a harsh world, and about finding one's own personality. The misdirection helps the strength of that tale in the same way as the apple flavour seemed stronger when I was expecting meat. I still ate the apple pie and chips - and it was surprisingly good - and for its unusual qualities it's a meal I'll never forget.
Johnny Depp is truly a master of his profession. The subtlety and understated finesse he gives to James Barrie carry Finding Neverland to heights it would have been impossible to reach with a less talented actor. The 12 year old Freddie Highmore is sensational as young Peter, a performance that allegedly led Johnny Depp to persuade Tim Burton to cast him in the lead role of the upcoming Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, which should be ... erm, child's play compared to this challenging and emotional character. The less said the better, however, about the youngest son Luke Spill. Let's just say I expect he is related to one of the main players in some way! Dustin Hoffman is spot-on but underused as the loyal theatre owner and there are small but entertaining roles for Kelly MacDonald (Trainspotting), Mackenzie Crook (The Office) and Paul Whitehouse (The Fast Show). Occasionally the dramatic pauses within the dialogue are a little excessive, and Julie Christie's enthrallment at the finished play was a little hard to swallow, but on the whole Marc Forster's team has created a cohesive and enchanting story that has been underrated by the critics so far.
I enjoyed this film: I think the average moviegoer will enjoy it: Testosterone Satisfaction Rating: Nothing corrupting, but definitely not for kids nevertheless. To enjoy this film you should be: Over 25 and looking for something meaty.
To pre-order Finding Neverland for its release on 14th March 2005, use the link below: |
Cast: Johnny Depp, Kate Winslet, Julie Christie, Radha Mitchell, Dustin Hoffman.
Finding Neverland follows Johnny Depp as author J. M. Barrie and his friendship with Kate Winslet,
a widowed mother of four boys, which inspires the creation of his Peter Pan stage play. Amidst the highly entertaining tomfoolery between
Barrie and the kids is the backdrop of Barrie's troubled marriage to Radha Mitchell (last seen in
It would have been easy to preach and paint Barrie as a hard-done-by misunderstood genius, but to the writers'
credit the image created is one of an ordinary talented man with an unorthodox vision - a man who struggles to
reconcile his own childlike enthusiasm with the staid adult-orientated everyday world. I see Finding Neverland
appealing to the same people who enjoyed A Beautiful Mind, though on the surface they appear to be chalk and cheese -
or maybe that should be meat and apple.
