Finding Neverland is sentimental, to be sure, but a wonderful find for the patient viewer.
The plot develops surely and steadily, building to a persuasive and heartfelt conclusion. Given the story line's absence of too many excessively melodramatic incidents, it is all the more extraordinary that the movie should catch our fancy and hold it for as long as it does. Yet it is a mesmerizing experience, a balmy, poetic vision of a time and place long ago, a vision of a Neverland itself; and like Neverland, a world that probably never was but should have been. Credit a good part of the illusion not only to director Marc Forster, but to film editor Matt Chesse's seamless integration of fantasy and reality, as well as to composer Jan A.P. Kaczmarek's light, delicate, lilting, yet soaring musical score. And stay through the closing credits for pianist Leszek Mozdzer's lovely solo improvisations.
I should note in closing that Forster's direction and David Magee's screenplay move along at a leisurely pace. This is totally in keeping with the nature of the story, the slower lifestyle of the early twentieth century, and the fact that the plot and characters are based upon a dialogue-driven stage play. If you've seen Forster's previous award-winning film, "Monster's Ball," you'll understand that he has a penchant for the creation of convincing characterizations over action for action's sake. "Finding Neverland" is sentimental, to be sure, but a wonderful find for the patient viewer.
Video:
Buena Vista give it their best shot, maintaining most of the film's widescreen scope in an anamorphic ratio that measures approximately 2.13:1 across my standard-screen Sony HD television. A healthy bit rate further ensures that colors are deep and solid and object delineation is crisp. Grain, moiré effects, and any obvious halos are generally absent from view. I did, however, observe a small amount of hard glassiness about the picture that I did not notice in the theater. It does nothing to distract one from the beauty of the film.
Audio:
The Dolby Digital 5.1 audio does little in the rear channels except reinforce some of the film's musical ambiance, but in the front channels it is clear and clean. The movie is, after all, derived from a stage play and dialogue is of paramount importance, which the sound system reproduces admirably. That said, the front-channel stereo spread is wide, the dynamics are strong when needed, and the depth of image is pronounced.
Extras:
There is a lean but engaging set of extras on the disc. First, there is an audio commentary with director Marc Forster, producer Richard Gladstein, and writer David Magee. They demonstrate a friendly camaraderie together, yet their remarks are not frivolous. They expound often on the power of imagination to rekindle the childhood spirit in us all, and one can see from their own playfulness that the story's theme may have worn off on them. Second, there is a sixteen-minute featurette, "The Magic of Finding Neverland," that is both informative and whimsical, providing background on the movie, the actors, and the story's history. Third, there is another featurette, this one much shorter at only three minutes, "Creating Neverland," which explores the film's visual effects. I would liked to have seen more. Fourth is a two-minute segment on the film's première, "On the Red Carpet," at which even Hillary Clinton was in attendance and had something to say. (Well, she's a politician; certainly, she had something to say.) Next, there are three deleted scenes, with optional filmmaker commentary. I liked screenwriter David Magee's admission: "I can't figure out why I wrote this scene." And then there are five minutes' worth of outtakes, wherein we see the seemingly staid cast goofing off (like children?) as well as witnessing the happy results of the infamous fart machine.
The disc's extras conclude with Sneak Peeks at other Buena Vista releases, including "Dear Frankie" and "National Treasure"; twelve (only twelve?) scene selections; English, French, and Spanish spoken languages; and French and Spanish subtitles, with English captions for the hearing impaired.
For those wanting more behind-the-scenes talk, I had the pleasure of conducting an interview with the film's Oscar-nominated editor, Matt Chesse, who happens to be a former student of mine.
Parting Thoughts:
"Finding Neverland" was nominated for seven Academy Awards: Best Picture (Richard Gladstein and Nellie Bellflower), Best Actor (Johnny Depp), Best Art Direction (Gemma Jackson and Trisha Edwards), Best Costume Design (Alexandra Byrne), Best Editing (Matt Chesse), Best Writing (David Magee), and winning the Oscar for Best Music (Jan A.P. Kaczmarek); this in addition to a ton of other awards from, among others, BAFTA, the Golden Globes, the Golden Satellites, the Art Directors Guild, the Broadcast Film Critics Association, and Best Picture of the Year from the National Board of Review. The film's sweetness deserves its praise.
But "every sweet hath its sour," as Emerson said. Barrie's celebrated play about a dream of never growing up was both a blessing and a curse for its author. Humphrey Carpenter in his book "Secret Gardens: The Golden Age of Children's Literature" (Houghton Mifflin Company, 1985), from which many of the facts about Barrie's life in this review were gleaned, writes, "...this dream led Barrie to reflect on his play, and to admit in his notebook the ultimately horrific nature of its theme: 'It is as if long after writing "Peter Pan" its true meaning came to me--Desperate attempt to grow up but can't.'"
Still, what does an author know about his own work. Enjoy the picture.
I should note in closing that Forster's direction and David Magee's screenplay move along at a leisurely pace. This is totally in keeping with the nature of the story, the slower lifestyle of the early twentieth century, and the fact that the plot and characters are based upon a dialogue-driven stage play. If you've seen Forster's previous award-winning film, "Monster's Ball," you'll understand that he has a penchant for the creation of convincing characterizations over action for action's sake. "Finding Neverland" is sentimental, to be sure, but a wonderful find for the patient viewer.
Video:
Buena Vista give it their best shot, maintaining most of the film's widescreen scope in an anamorphic ratio that measures approximately 2.13:1 across my standard-screen Sony HD television. A healthy bit rate further ensures that colors are deep and solid and object delineation is crisp. Grain, moiré effects, and any obvious halos are generally absent from view. I did, however, observe a small amount of hard glassiness about the picture that I did not notice in the theater. It does nothing to distract one from the beauty of the film.
Audio:
The Dolby Digital 5.1 audio does little in the rear channels except reinforce some of the film's musical ambiance, but in the front channels it is clear and clean. The movie is, after all, derived from a stage play and dialogue is of paramount importance, which the sound system reproduces admirably. That said, the front-channel stereo spread is wide, the dynamics are strong when needed, and the depth of image is pronounced.
Extras:
There is a lean but engaging set of extras on the disc. First, there is an audio commentary with director Marc Forster, producer Richard Gladstein, and writer David Magee. They demonstrate a friendly camaraderie together, yet their remarks are not frivolous. They expound often on the power of imagination to rekindle the childhood spirit in us all, and one can see from their own playfulness that the story's theme may have worn off on them. Second, there is a sixteen-minute featurette, "The Magic of Finding Neverland," that is both informative and whimsical, providing background on the movie, the actors, and the story's history. Third, there is another featurette, this one much shorter at only three minutes, "Creating Neverland," which explores the film's visual effects. I would liked to have seen more. Fourth is a two-minute segment on the film's première, "On the Red Carpet," at which even Hillary Clinton was in attendance and had something to say. (Well, she's a politician; certainly, she had something to say.) Next, there are three deleted scenes, with optional filmmaker commentary. I liked screenwriter David Magee's admission: "I can't figure out why I wrote this scene." And then there are five minutes' worth of outtakes, wherein we see the seemingly staid cast goofing off (like children?) as well as witnessing the happy results of the infamous fart machine.
The disc's extras conclude with Sneak Peeks at other Buena Vista releases, including "Dear Frankie" and "National Treasure"; twelve (only twelve?) scene selections; English, French, and Spanish spoken languages; and French and Spanish subtitles, with English captions for the hearing impaired.
For those wanting more behind-the-scenes talk, I had the pleasure of conducting an interview with the film's Oscar-nominated editor, Matt Chesse, who happens to be a former student of mine.
Parting Thoughts:
"Finding Neverland" was nominated for seven Academy Awards: Best Picture (Richard Gladstein and Nellie Bellflower), Best Actor (Johnny Depp), Best Art Direction (Gemma Jackson and Trisha Edwards), Best Costume Design (Alexandra Byrne), Best Editing (Matt Chesse), Best Writing (David Magee), and winning the Oscar for Best Music (Jan A.P. Kaczmarek); this in addition to a ton of other awards from, among others, BAFTA, the Golden Globes, the Golden Satellites, the Art Directors Guild, the Broadcast Film Critics Association, and Best Picture of the Year from the National Board of Review. The film's sweetness deserves its praise.
But "every sweet hath its sour," as Emerson said. Barrie's celebrated play about a dream of never growing up was both a blessing and a curse for its author. Humphrey Carpenter in his book "Secret Gardens: The Golden Age of Children's Literature" (Houghton Mifflin Company, 1985), from which many of the facts about Barrie's life in this review were gleaned, writes, "...this dream led Barrie to reflect on his play, and to admit in his notebook the ultimately horrific nature of its theme: 'It is as if long after writing "Peter Pan" its true meaning came to me--Desperate attempt to grow up but can't.'"
Still, what does an author know about his own work. Enjoy the picture.
Average user rating (1-5):
[release]14305[/release]