A moving film; that moves slowly

Rating: 7/10 (15 December 2004)

Sometimes it is best I guess not to go into a film with such high expectations. Such it was when I ventured into "Finding Neverland". I expected a lot. On the plus side, all of the acting by the main characters was solid. The cinematography was also fine. The letdown was in the story itself. It simply moved along too slowly. Johnny Depp's persona reminded me of Jim Carrey in "The Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind." A rather silent character that always seems to be quietly thinking about something, though what it is we are not too sure. Although Depp's performance is convincing, I feel it needs to be more verbal and expressive. Freddie Highmore is excellent, but his part seems too small in the overall story. Children would probably fall asleep watching "Finding Neverland". For adults, however, the slow pace is at least offset by a fine visual expression and the ordeal of the characters in the midst of tragedy, not to mention the creation of Neverland itself. 7/10