Memoirs of an Imaginer

Rating: 9/10 (3 February 2005)

"Finding Neverland" brilliantly and passionately chronicles the enchanting and fascinating identity of James R. Barrie, the imaginer behind one of the most beloved and inspiration children fantasies, "Peter Pan". The film deftly explores Barrie's many personal inspirations behind the making of his "Peter Pan", as his experiences with Sylvia (Kate Winslet) and her adorable, remarkable children become the dominant subjects of Barrie's ideas, fantasies, and emotions. Take a critical look inside the mind behind the magic of "Neverland", and you will discover that his personal background was every bit as human, endearing, and enchanting as is professed in the "fairy tale", Peter Pan: Barrie is fascinated with the prospect of dreams becoming reality, and his life's effort is to somehow bestow his wonderful, magical outlook on life's whims and wonders onto the lives of innocent souls who might become better developed in life with these unfettered hopes and dreams. Johnny Depp perfects a curious Scottish accent to lend his eclectic, imaginative personality to the magical architect, in a way that impressively studies perhaps Barrie's idiosyncratic, quirky nature. One discerns that Depp seems to have provided a lot of study and calculation of Barrie in acting as convincingly passionate as Barrie purported to be, in his remarkably adept and human portrayal of this remarkably human character. This is definitely an Oscar-worthy performance, and Depp is so absorbed in his portrayal of this mystifying imaginer that if it weren't for an "allusion" to his recent Jack Sparrow in "Pirates of the Caribbean" (in imagination, Barrie plays "surly pirate" with the children), one would conclude that Barrie was the only role he was born to play. Kate Winslet, through most of the film, is much dissociated with the action, yet much immersed in the film's somber theme, as Sylvia, and distinctly grows into an important object of Barrie's heart and soul and compassion with the film's progression; a fine, genuine performance as a tragically disparaged, yet cherished, woman. As a film, this is essentially a "theater" of exploration, into the depths of hear and soul, and how it is sometimes best to "keep pretending forever" in order to evade the disparities of life, as Barrie apparently realized in his beloved "Peter Pan". This was a man who cherished the wondrous fruits of life, in finding companionship and inspiration with innocence (with the children, particularly Peter, who is inspired to challenge his surroundings to develop into his manhood), and realizing it is essential that life accept the notion that to "never grow up" and stay young at heart forever is to entertain your hopes and dreams, in flying to escape to an imaginary world, say, "Neverland". Perhaps "Finding Neverland" is at times overly sentimental in its message and excessively fantastic in exploring the realms of James Barrie (sometimes lingering too heavily on fragmented social themes), yet it is precisely adroit in bringing Te "theater of Barrie's heart, mind, and soul" into the conscience of a perhaps busy and disillusioned contemporary audience, who have perhaps yet to realize the spirit of this remarkable, fascinating imaginer who realized the essentials and realities in life through acquaintance, discovery, and experience: courage, hope, tragedy, development, happiness forever. ***1/2 out of ****