Movie Review: Finding Neverland

I had started to wonder if I was ever going to get to see this movie. I had read that it had opened in limited release, and in some places they had a preview screening only to have the print recalled. Then I read that a DVD release date had already been set, now I can't find where I read that. I was about to give up hope, until this past weekend when I saw it pop up on the schedules for release. Needless to say I was overjoyed and made a point to go and see it.

I sat down in the theater and watched as the screen flickered on, and surprisingly get a little dose of Depp before the movie even begins. We are treated to the trailer for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the latest from director Tim Burton. It looks wonderfully bizarre, I hope it delivers. But, back to the matter at hand.

Going into the movie, I knew that it took liberties with JM Barrie's life and was less than accurate. I went in not looking for a faithful recreation of the author's life, but an entertaining tale inspired by the life of a timeless child's story. What I got was something wonderful. A story personal in nature, timeless in scope, and magical at every turn.

We watch a man who longs to be a child again, trapped in an apparently loveless marriage who finds comfort and inspiration in the form of four young boys and their widowed mother. We watch as he is inspired by them. Spurred on by their spirit of adventure and imagination to create his greatest work.

Barrie is working as a playwrite, a talented one who has not been able to grasp that story that captures the imagination of his audience. One day while trying to write in the park, he is happened upon by the brothers. He proceeds to dazzle them with a story, acting it out with the help of his dog. He starts spending more and more time with them, much to the disapproval of his wife and other townsfolk. How can a grown man have such a strange connection and spend so much time with these young boys? They are his muse, his inspiration, especially young Peter. Peter seems to have forced himself to mature at a faster rate, and has thus become jaded to the world around him. Barrie and Peter teach other to become something more, something better than what they have forced upon themselves.

Article Author: Chris Beaumont

Christopher Beaumont spends much of his time writing about music and movies when he isn't indulging in them. He is always ready to talk about his favorite form of entertainment and offer up recommendations. Follow: Twitter and Tumblr. …

Visit Chris Beaumont's author page — Chris Beaumont's Blog