Finding Neverland (2004)

 Originally Reviewed

Thursday May 19, 2005

Ever wish you could get away? Escape the daily grind of life into a fantasy land that only you had the power to open the door to. Finding Neverland tells the story of how such a place came to be, a place where children never grew up and a place where even adults could find solace from the pains of life... that place is called Neverland.

Finding Neverland is the story behind the ever so popular adventures of Peter Pan and Neverland. James Barrie (Johnny Depp), is a famous writer and playwright of the time but one who has begun to find himself in a rut of consistency and played out themes. Searching for some new spark of creativity Barrie happens upon the Llewelyn Davies family, four boys and one widowed mother (Kate Winslet). His new found friendship with the Davies family begins to open up new aspects of literature he had not yet explored before, as his adventures with the Davies family transforms into what is soon to become his greatest piece of work yet... Peter Pan. 

But the road to success is sometimes fleeting as Barrie is chastised for spending too much time with the widow and her four young sons while he neglects his own wife. Everyone around Barrie begins to wonder what his relationship with the Davies family really is, and how such a play with fairies and pirates will ever appeal to a group of sophisticated debutantes. In the end Barrie's masterpiece becomes much more than a play, but the proof that each and every one of us, if we truly believe can have our own piece of Neverland.

Finding Neverland is a very entertaining story about the creation of a literary classic. Johnny Depp's performance is nothing short of brilliance, and is backed up by a wonderful supporting cast. I also liked the casting of Dustin Hoffman in the film, which if you didn't know, played the role of Captain Hook in the film Hook. 

Don't expect Finding Neverland to be a typical Peter Pan story, it's not a fantasy film in any sense, but a drama which depicts the creation of the fantasy world itself. It's a very well written film that mixes humor and drama together brilliantly to provide a very entertaining, and at sometimes emotional story of James Barrie and his inspiration for Peter Pan. I highly recommend this film to anyone who has yet to see it because it is truly well done.

8/10