Apr 19, 2005 10:39 AM
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(Updated Apr 19, 2005 10:39 AM)
Childhood is associated with innocence, fairy tales and fantasy stories till one day you find yourself in a land of desolation ?adulthood.
It would be a boon to preserve this fossil of childhood forever but is it possible?
Playwright J.M.Barrie brought one such child to life by creating ?Peter Pan? who holds magical appeal to this day the world over.
But what inspired Barrie to create ?Peter Pan??
In his own words Barrie speaks about the Llewellyn-Davies kids
?By rubbing the five of you violently together, as savages with two sticks to produce a flame, I made the spark of you that is Peter Pan.?
Miramax picture?s ?Finding Neverland? takes a fictional look at this person who created Peter Pan.
The story is not about a lonely artist nor is it about romantic liaison between Sylvia and Barrie; it is about a relationship, which transcends everything ? a bonding with innocence filled childhood.
The movie opens with Barrie (Johnny Depp), a Scottish playwright, disappointed with the way his recent play bombs on the opening night.
While musing in a park he chances upon Sylvia (Kate Winslet) and her adorable kids. Thus begins a long association of Barrie with the Llewelyn-Davies family.
As the fatherless kids revel in desolation, Barrie makes them believe in fantasies and manages to bring a smile on the faces of all but one of these children ?Peter (Freddy Highmore). Peter is hurt and cannot forgive the fact that his father deserted him.
That is when Barrie brings his therapeutic effect by creating a play with characters like Peter and a place called ?Neverland? ? which is home of fairies and where little boys need not grow up. Some of the best lines being said by Barrie to Peter:
Peter: This is absurd. It's just a dog.
J.M. Barrie:Just a dog? Porthos dreams of being a bear, and you want to shatter those dreams by saying he's just a dog? What a horrible candle-snuffing word. That's like saying, He can't climb that mountain, he's just a man, or that's not a diamond, it's just a rock. Just.
J.M. Barrie:You can visit Neverland anytime you like.
Peter:How?
J.M. Barrie:By believing Peter, Just believe.
And this is the best of them all:
J.M. Barrie: Children should never be sent to bed. They always wake up a day older.
Director Marc Foster did a wonderful job while taking us through this poignant journey without any melodramatic moments.
Johnny Depp?s acting is incontrovertible ? He is soul of this movie?with his Scottish accent in place ?I only wished he could have walked away with the Oscar!
Freddy Highmore shows a lot of promise and with that look in his eyes he added to the emotional punch. The supporting cast was adequate and did justice to their respective roles.
In this age of broadband internet, there are few films which touch us deep down within where we wouldn?t be ashamed to shed a tear or two and Finding Neverland does just that, make sure you don?t miss this one.
