This movie totally changed my perspective on Peter Pan!!!

Rating: 9/10 (17 December 2004)

**no spoilers** Finding Neverland covers a short period of the life of Sir James Matthew Barrie (the writer), between the release of his last play and his classic masterpiece Peter Pan.
This movie totally changed my perspective on Peter Pan. I was fascinated by the creativity of Sir Barrie. Seeing how the people and events around the author have inspired the play, and afterwards, how the play has affected them (Sylvia, her children, her mother and even an audience of all ages...) It makes you realize that even though the story of Peter Pan seems simple, it is rich with symbolisms and metaphors.
I don't know if this happened for real, but the 25 seat idea was an act of genius!! (This is all I can say about that without spoiling it for you)
When I was really young, I remember being captivated by Disney's animated version of Peter Pan. It had so many fascinating elements (for a young boy) such as: pirates, Indians, flying kids, faeries, sword fights... I was never tempted to get into Peter Pan again until today. Now that I know who the characters were based on, and their connection to Sir Barrie. But mainly because, Sir Barrie was true to himself when he wrote the play (towards the end, Peter (the boy) says to Sir Barrie "you are Peter"). The author strongly believed that the power of imagination can overcome age, sickness and death, and he tried to pass it on to everyone, but most importantly to the people he cared about (when he showed Sylvia Neverland).
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this movie to anyone who would like to go back in time and meet Sir James Matthew Barrie and follow the creative process that led him to Neverland.
Great performances by Depp, Winslet, Hoffman, and the Davies children were very impressive; specially Freddie Highmore (the one who played Peter)