The Boy is Gone...

Rating: 9/10 (1 July 2005)

A man stands alone pacing back and forth on a worn out carpet that is not foreign to this routine. It is opening night and James Barrie, well known author and playwright, anticipates a successful night, for it is the unveiling of his latest creation, Peter Pan.
Johnny Depp has been on a roll since his last picture Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, which earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Actor. In his latest film Finding Neverland, he plays James Barrie, a struggling author who has just produced an atrocity of a play. By chance he encounters a widow played by Kate Winslet (Titanic) and her three children having a pleasant time in the park. Barrie loves the chemistry between the children, but one of them, Peter, is sort of an outsider who never wants to be playful ever since his father died. Barrie gets an idea. The movie entails Barrie going on many adventures with the family with pirates and Indians right in the comfort of their backyards.
Once again Depp deserves another nomination from the academy. The picture is a wonderful interpretation of the conception of the masterpiece that is Peter Pan, the story that children of all ages have come to know and love. Depp fits the role so perfectly that his Scottish accent seems almost too real. The movies flow is extremely well crafted. During some parts of the movie where imagination crosses with reality, whether it is "finding Neverland" or dancing with a bear. The cinematography is unbelievable. The camera moves around as if it was a feather caught in an updraft. Flying a kite gives the viewer the sensation of hovering over the ground hundreds of feet in the air.
Depp is known for his being a man with scissors for hands or a drug lord. As he says in the movie, "The boy is gone." The boy really is gone after this picture. Pirates of the Caribbean showed Depp's acting capabilities to a higher level, but Finding Neverland raises his status as Oscar worthy indeed. The Academy Awards will be interesting for sure with Depp, Jamie Foxx (Ray), Bill Murray (The Life Aquatic), and a lot of other worthy actors in the hunt for that little statue. The winner is still close to call at this point in time.
This movie won't win Best Picture, but a nomination would not be a shocker at all. This movie features extremely good acting, music, and camera work. Kate Winslet puts forth a very good effort in her role. She did a better job in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, but her performance in Finding Neverland is none the less well done. Not only do the headliners shine, but the children do as well. The casting department deserves an A for this project.
Finding Neverland is a movie that the whole family can enjoy. It is not just another run of the mill movie about Peter Pan like the others are. This movie has made its mark in movie history and won't easily be forgotten. I give Finding Neverland a standing ovation.