While there's a good deal to enjoy in this adaptation of Allan Knee's stage play, moviegoers may wind up feeling unfulfilled and more than a little bit cheated by the ambling and ultimately feather-light story. Not so much a biopic as a snapshot of a very specific time in the life Peter Pan playwright J.M. Barrie, Finding Neverland soars on the strength of bravura performances by its stars, but sinks when attempting to dredge up any greater significance or deeper meaning.

Johnny Depp continues to make a case for being the best actor of his generation in a subdued, quiet performance that is even more impressive when contrasted with his more showy roles in Pirates of the Caribbean and Once Upon In Mexico. Despite the amazing heights to which his imagination can soar, Depp's Barrie is grounded in a subtle realism. As Sylvia Llewelyn Davies, mother of four boys to whom Barrie becomes both a sort of surrogate father and elder playmate, Kate Winslet holds her own opposite Depp. The relationship between Barrie and Sylvia is beautifully crafted, infused with feeling more through body language than dialogue, never explicitly defined but fully realized nonetheless.

However, it is the connection that Barrie forms with Sylvia's four sons that remains the emotional crux of the story, particularly as ensconced in the juxtaposition of relative newcomer Freddie Highmore's lachrymose, somber Peter (whose name Barrie eventually appropriates for his play) with Depp's playful, flighty man-child. That Barrie shows Freddie that it is okay to be a child and that Freddie teaches Barrie how to be a man may seem an overwrought sentiment, but the arc of their relationship is handled with such a light touch that it never seems trite or forced.

Finding Neverland is essentially a study in character and relationships, and a minimalist one at that. There's not much of a plot, only perfunctory conflict, and no great epiphany for any character. Nonetheless, the performances are strong enough that the film succeeds almost despite itself. Marc Forster's direction and David Magee's screenplay appear to be relatively hands-off, allowing the characters to simply inhabit the world.

The lack of any underlying message or direction is the film's only true fault. While there is real weight to the minor crises of character that litter the story, no one element brings it all together. Thus, it is not so much a case of the film feeling hollow as it seems to be a bit hazy around the edges. Even the hint of a moral or message that could have drawn everything into sharper focus would have been welcome. While filmmakers should never lead the audience by the hand, they can at least point in the right direction and offer a few signposts along the way. Neverland may find some viewers lost, but those who are content to simply wander will likely be swept up in its magic.