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Scottish author JM Barrie was the man who will forever be known as the creator of “Peter Pan”. “Finding Neverland” shows how a man whose marriage and career were on the rocks found inspiration in a young widow and her four sons to write his masterpiece.
Marc Forster seems to be very much an actor’s director, having previously coaxed an Oscar-winning performance out of Halle Berry in “Monster’s Ball”, a feat that seems all the more remarkable considering her recent output. Here he manages to tease wonderfully naturalistic and believable turns from the often hammy Johnny Depp, the tic-laden Dustin Hoffman and not one, but four child actors. And he does all this in a period piece that still has something relevant to say about the themes of childhood, imagination and the creative process. This is an extremely successful adaptation of a stage play that often belies its origins and succeeds in incorporating the old play-within-a-play chestnut, without it feeling hackneyed. The production of “Peter Pan” we see is fresh and enchanting and makes clear the appeal of the play to children and adults alike. Forster’s vision of the creative process is an alluring one that show’s the artist’s reliance on accident and coincidence
for inspiration. Barrie’s vivid imagination is brought to life through a series of wonderfully theatrical scenes that reveal a child-like wonder in all things and the ability to draw others into his imagination.
Over the past few years, Johnny Depp’s performances have been getting hammier by the film. But they have never been less than enjoyable. Here he takes a different tack and shows that less can definitely be more. Gone is the reliance on over-acting and instead we are treated to a subtle and understated turn that underlines the contradictions of a whimsical man living within the confines of Victorian society, where propriety and reputation are all. No doubt spurred on by the critical pasting he got for his Dick Van Dyke Cockney accent in “From Hell”, he has worked very hard to pull off a believable Scottish burr. It is a successful endeavour that rarely betrays his American origins. It is a wonderful performance that conveys the difficulties faced by a man happier living in fantasy than reality.
Kate Winslet impresses in an underwritten role as the tragic Sylvia Llewelyn-Davies. She is vulnerable, soulful and displays a quiet strength not made apparent by the script. Her rapport with the children playing her sons is convincing and her relationship with Barrie, though enigmatic is touching in all the right ways.
The children playing the Llewelyn-Davies boys are uniformly excellent, with nary a one displaying the slappable theatrics of stage school children. The real acting plaudits though, must go to the young Freddie Highmore, who plays Peter. His performance shows how much difference a good director can make to a child’s role. Having been thoroughly irritating in “Five Children and It”, I was incredibly impressed by the subtlety and range of Highmore’s turn as the sombre and serious Peter. In many respects, his is the pivotal role of the film, as he aptly demonstrates the importance of play and the need for children to have as long a childhood as possible, even when very adult concerns like bereavement rear their ugly heads. Highmore gets my vote for most accomplished child performance of the year.
I’ve never been much of a fan of Dustin Hoffman’s work; he’s one of those actors who seems to rely too heavily on tics and tricks to convey his characters and though technically brilliant, his acting usually leaves me cold. Here the Method takes a back-seat and we get a playful performance from him as Barrie’s producer, Charles Frohman. Julie Christie gets her best role for some years as Sylvia’s mother Emma du Maurier. She is the voice of authority and society that attempts to rein in Barrie’s flights of fancy, pulling both her daughter and grandsons back to earth with a bump whenever they fall under the author’s spell. It is a quasi-villainous role and Christie makes the most of it. Hopefully directors will sit up and take note that this sixties’ darling is still here and still very able to act.
The film’s stage origins shine through in the fantasy sequences where Barrie’s flights of fancy take form. Instead of relying heavily on CGI, as many directors might, Forster has gone back to basics and shot most of the scenes for real. There are special effects in each sequence, but they aren’t so outlandish that one thinks “ah yes, a special effect”. It’s a good thing too because these fantastic theatricalities merge naturally with the film’s overall style, instead of overpowering it.
The score is so subtle as to be unnoticeable. It heightens the scenes it accompanies, but without smothering them. Similarly the costumes throughout are fantastically detailed historical reproductions, but you don’t find yourself distracted from the superb acting by them.
This is a film that will appeal to those to whom a decent story and great acting are the most important aspects of a film. It perfectly embodies the sense of childlike wonder those first audience members of “Peter Pan” must have felt. It is sentimental, but never mawkishly so and features great performances from the well-rounded cast. Though it never satisfactorily explores the nature of the relationship between Barrie and Sylvia Llewelyn-Davies, the actors put enough into their roles for this to be a minor quibble rather than detracting from the film. I warn you now though, that if you’re anything like me, it’s a two-hankie ending. Watch when you don’t fancy seeing people blow stuff up or make fart gags and appreciate the art of acting at its best.
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Sweetness that doesn't turn saccharine is hard to find these days;Finding Neverlandhits ... more
the mark. Much credit is due to the actors: Johnny Depp applies his genius for sly whimsy in his portrayal of playwright J. M. Barrie, who finds inspiration for his...
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Award-winning stars Johnny Depp (Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl), ... more
Kate Winslet (Titanic) and Dustin Hoffman (Rain Man) bring to life the story of a man who awakened the world's imagination, and the people who inspired him. Findi...
Sweetness that doesn't turn saccharine is hard to find these days;Finding Neverlandhits ... more
the mark. Much credit is due to the actors: Johnny Depp applies his genius for sly whimsy in his portrayal of playwright J. M. Barrie, who finds inspiration for his...
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![Finding Neverland [DVD] [2004]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/78485525.jpg "Finding Neverland [DVD] [2004]")
Nov 20th, 2004
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