A look into the mind of "Peter Pan" creator J.M. Barrie

Rating: 9/10 (24 December 2004)

FINDING NEVERLAND Starring: Johnny Depp, Kate Winslet & Freddie Highmore Director: Marc Forster
I have been a fan of "Peter Pan" ever since I was able to read. I've read the original story as well as the Disney version. I've seen almost every film/TV production made, including the fantastic HOOK; the decent, but not great PETER PAN that came out in 2003; the entertaining cartoon THE NEW ADVENTURES OF PETER PAN which included a killer orchestral theme song written by Mark Mothersbaugh of DEVO. So I couldn't pass up a chance to see the enigmatic Johnny Depp playing the role of author/creator J.M. Barrie in FINDING NEVERLAND.
For those who are unaware, Barrie was a struggling author & playwright in Britain during the turn of the 20th century. He was acquaintances with author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle ("Sherlock Holmes" & "The Lost World") and had written a number of plays that had been performed, but only enjoyed a moderation of success for the most part. In this biographical dramatization of Barrie's life, we see the subject waiting backstage during the opening night of one of his plays. The play bombs and is promptly ended by his backer, Charles Frohman (Dustin Hoffman).
Despite this setback and the stressful and faltering relationship with his wife, Mary (Radha Mitchell), Barrie goes to Kensington Park with his lovable English Sheepdog to play and write. There, he befriends the widow Sylvia Llewelyn Davies (Winslet) and her family of four boys. 3 of the brothers find Barrie amusing when he tells fantastic stories and wondrous tales, but Peter (Highmore) takes life too seriously and refuses to believe or participate as he is still dealing with the death of his father.
His close bond with the family forms a larger rift between he and his wife, as well as causes problems from Sylvia's mother, Emma du Maurier (Julie Christie - DOCTOR ZHIVAGO, DRAGONHEART, HARRY POTTER & THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN) who wants to put a stop to a man ruining any chance of her daughter, who becomes increasingly ill, finding another husband while she's socializing with a well-known married man; and to put a stop to a grown man playing games with young boys who should be helping around the house, learning proper etiquette, etc.
Overall, the story is told extremely well, including the daydreaming and fantasy parts of the world that Barrie imagines and lives in. The fantasy scenes look comical and even corny compared to what is happening in the real world, but that's the point of it being a fantasy. Director Marc Forster, who made the extremely boring MONSTER'S BALL (I know it won awards, but it was still a snoozer!), has made a very nice film and can thank his cinematographer in part for doing such an excellent job.
The world that has been created of that bygone era and age is done very well, from the costumes and settings to the authentic looking stuffed animals from the Winnie The Pooh series that was new and popular at that time.
Everyone does fine in their acting roles, but the interaction between Depp and Highmore is exceptionally well done. This is something to keep in mind when Highmore plays in Depp's CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY, which is Tim Burton's version of WILLY WONKA. Maybe it has something to do with Highmore sharing the same birthday as the talented Depp - or maybe Highmore is going to be one of those child actors that really has talent and not just a cuteness factor.
One word of caution to parents taking their kids to this film thinking that it's going to be another version of PETER PAN; it's not! True, there are scenes from the play with Peter, Wendy and the gang, but these are small moments. Most of the subject matter is going to be boring or way above the heads of children. Not to mention, there are a couple of scenes that had a lot of the audience crying, quickly followed by some humor so as not to bring the whole film down.
FINDING NEVERLAND is great story, whether you're a fan of "Peter Pan" or if you simply like something that is well-written.
Ethan Nahté