Magical Barrie Tale

Rating: 8/10 (22 December 2004)

"Finding Neverland" is not based on my relentless pursuit to visit The Playboy Mansion. It is also not based on my own dreams to seize supreme pun powers in a literary fantasy-land called "Cleverland". Anyway, "Finding Neverland" is Director Marc Forster's enchanting narrative on the inspiration behind "Peter Pan". Obviously, the centerpiece of the story is J.M. Barrie, the Scottish author of "Peter Pan". This fervent jewel of a film focuses on Barrie's friendship & kinship with four fatherless Scottish juvenile lads and their moribund mother. I really dipped into Depp's subdued, but yet, goodwill performance. By previously taking on a swashbuckler role in "Pirates of the Caribbean" and now an author who inspired a fairytale which a swashbuckler is the villain, one can state that Depp is hooked on the spearing seaman thing. I guess a "pirate's life for him". Kate Winslet scores high with yet another winning performance as the courageous mother, Sylvia Davies. Freddie Highmore also sparkles as Peter, the young Davies boy which becomes the primary emphasis of Barrie's inspiration. Because of his stellar work, Highmore should rank "high" in the child actor department by receiving "more & more" lucrative acting gigs. Hollywood, Are you ready for Freddie? Dustin Hoffman (playing Theatre Director Charles Frohman) and Julie Christie (playing the controlling grandmother Emma Du Maurier) contribute their well-respected expertise to their roles. But the hero of this tale is not Johnny Depp, nor Peter Pan, nor J.M. Barrie, and not even Wendy. It was Director Marc Forster's illuminating vision of Barrie's experiences with the Davies. With "Monster's Ball" and now "Neverland", Forster proves that he is a Director "forceter" to be reckon with. Screenwriter David Magee developed a tender dialogue that will cause viewers to be "finding handkerchiefs". So straighten up and fly right and visit "Finding Neverland". **** Good