Have you ever wondered how author J.M. Barrie came up for the idea of “Peter Pan?” If so, the Oscar nominated film “Finding Neverland” shows you how.
It seems Mr. Barrie was a playwright and his last play was a bomb. Barrie, played by Johnny Depp, was embarrassed but his wife seemed highly annoyed. She was a cold socialite, wanting to not only keep up with the Joneses but to surpass them as well. It was no surprise then that Barrie began going to the park every day to get out of the house. At the park, he meets the Davies family. They are four boys, their widowed mother, Sylvia, played by a beautiful Kate Winslet, and a big dog. Barrie becomes fascinated by the children’s imaginative play. He befriends them, shows them his wonderful imagination and he and the family become fast friends. All the while, Barrie is writing a story. That story becomes “Peter Pan.”
There is more to the “Finding Neverland” though. Barrie’s wife feels betrayed, the town and Sylvia’s mother frown upon Barrie, a married man, spending so much time with a widow and Sylvia has this nagging cough that just won’t go away. You can probably guess how all those plot lines end. Also, there is now controversy coming from historians because apparently, in real life, Sylvia’s husband was not dead, her relationship with Barrie was not as platonic as the film makes it out to be, and rumors surrounding Barrie dealt with pedophilia. Those elements are absent from the film and it is a better movie because of it.
Depp is wonderful with a Scottish brogue and a wild imagination. He is at the point in his career where people will watch him in just about anything and lucky for them he chooses such quality work. The other amazing performance comes from young Freddie Highmore. He plays the tough-hearted Peter Davies, the inspiration for the character of Peter Pan. His scenes are heartbreaking and powerful and he will make a terrific Charlie in this summer’s “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” which coincidentally also stars Depp.
Aside from the strong performances, the direction from Marc Forster is very good. He has fun with the visuals, giving many of the playing scenes a theatrical look. He also films the creation of “Peter Pan” the play with a similar feel. As for problems with the film, there are a few. For instance, Dustin Hoffman appears as a producer/theater owner but he is the only Englishman in London without an English accent. Seriously, it was Costner bad. The other complaint is that the movie slips into being overly melodramatic at times, as if Forster was saying, “This is the scene for the Academy Award, so really go for it.” Considering it earned as many nominations as it did, I guess that it worked, but at times it felt a little treacly.
That being said, “Finding Neverland” is a worthy nominee for Best Picture and certainly worth a viewing.
