Finding Neverland (2004)

Just so...so bad

Gripping story with well-crafted characters

Your blood may run cold, but you now find yourself pinioned to the story.

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

Continuing my plan to watch every Johnny Depp movie in order, I come to Finding Neverland.I love this movie, I cry at the end of it, what's more I am not ashamed. Depp is superb and deservedly got his second Oscar nomination, Kate Winslet does what Kate Winslet does, Julie Christie stands out as Winslet's strict, disapproving mother as Does Dustin Hoffman and Rhada Mitchell is fine as Depp's wife. They are all overshadowed by a young Freddie Highmore. He is simply heartbreaking and he has no problems keeping up with Depp, in fact he steals a scene or two from him (Depp was so impressed by him, he personally requested he play Charlie, in Charlie & The Chocolate Factory)Finding Neverland grossed $51 million at the domestic box office to end 2004 as the 61st highest grossing movie of the year.

Finding Neverland is a great movie with a very well developed plot and a terrific cast. It is a ridiculously sweet movie as we follow the life of real author JM Barrie, discovering how a close bond with a family inspired him to create Peter Pan. As we see his relationship with these people develop over the course of the movie we can really feel a real bond, it is written in a way that makes it so life like and believable, towards the end, getting quite heart wrenching. It was a little bit too heartwarming at times to a degree that it felt cheesy. Every scene, every piece of dialogue from the characters is very abrupt and honest, but this can feel somewhat forced when it's so frequent. People are not honest all the time, people do not speak the truth, its interesting when we have a character saying one thing, but learn from paying attention to the development of the character that he means something else, but in Neverland, everyone seems to say exactly what they are thinking.The cast is phenomenal, Dustin Hoffman shines in a small, but noticeable role, Kate Winslet is immensely effective as the struggling mother, and all the child actors are excellent young performers. Johnny Depp is, of course, the highlight as Barrie, playing a role a lot more toned down and normal in comparison to his usual Tim Burton-esque flamboyant characters, he is subtle, quiet and delivers a meaningful performance of a passionate writer and playwright, as well as an impressive Scottish accent. Entertaining, with a very sweet message. Fun and well acted, Finding Neverland is a pleasure that runs at a very appropriate time, I would recommend it to anyone looking for a good family film or biography. The story of Scottish playwright and author JM Barrie, and how he came to write the classic children's book Peter Pan. Best Performance; Johnny Depp

Johnny Depp went from playing a pirate to playing a writer who wrote about pirates, and ironically, he ends up playing against Dustin Hoffman who once played the pirate in the story his story wrote about. Depp is James M. Barrie, the British playwright who introduced the world to Peter Pan. He's married to a very beautiful but distant woman, and along the way, cures his off stage unhappiness by befriending beautiful widow Kate Winslet and her four boys. Becoming their "uncle", Depp takes them onto a magical journey to a wonderful land where boys never grow up and adventure awaits around every culture.This is indeed a magical movie, and it recently had a lengthy run as an equally magical musical. The movie features the legendary Julie Christie as Winslet's domineering mother, a woman of contradictions who certainly needs some magic of her own to lessen her inhibitions that are well meaning and understandable, not just some aging harridan who is unreasonably sour. It's a magical trip back in time too, giving a glimpse into a story re- told many times and reformatted in several different ways. Depp is fantastic in this, a film and musical I could watch or listen to over and over and never, never grow old from the magic it gives each time.

Johnny Depp has reached a depth in interpreting a character that he was never able to reach again neither before or after this movie. With great elegance and with an ease, he reflects Barries mild eccentricity and distance to the community where he lived. What allows Depp in this movie to give a brilliant performance is also the team that interpreted the supporting roles. Kate Winslet which in each movie proves over and over again how brilliant as an actress she is, portrays the character to perfection. ''Finding Neverland'' appeals to the kid in all of us. The main message is that if you want enough and believe in something, it will come true. The main question is whether you're brave enough to ''be childish'' and want to believe that it is possible that you are watching. A movie for all ages, in every way!