Finding Neverland (DVD, 2005, Widescreen)

The Film

Finding Neverland is one of those films that come along that are different enough to make critics swoon with delight because its not the same hum-drum crap that Hollywood gives us week after week, month after month, year after year. But the real question should be: is it really as good as everyone says it is or is it merely given praise because there is nary an explosion or chase scene to be found? The answer lies somewhere in the middle.

J.M. Barrie (Johnny Depp) is fresh off writing a play that nobody liked, living with a wife that loves her social standing more than she loves her husband (or the thought of children), and a yearning to live his life in the care-free manner of a child. On a trip to the park one day, Barrie meets the four boys of the widow Sylvia Llewelyn Davies (Kate Winslet). And before you scream "PEDOPHILE," Barrie's interest in the kids is one of inspiration. As they are living the life he would like to live, he joins them in their imaginative adventures and even helps to bring young Peter (the boy who ends up playing Charlie in the Chocolate Factory later) out of his grieving shell.

There was quite a buzz surrounding this film, even garnering Depp another Best Actor Nomination, and a lot of it is justified. The acting from Depp, Winslet, and the four boys is better than average. Director Marc Foster keeps things stuffy and square in the "real" world but is able to open up some stunning sequences when the boys and Barrie are wrapped up in their imagination.

That said, I wouldn't go so far as to call this a masterpiece or anything. It's unfortunate that this small film is never completely able to break out of its smallness. There isn't anything here that you haven't seen already and it's doubtful that you'll linger on any deep thoughts after viewing. The best it may do is make you want to watch "Peter Pan" again.

What baffles me about this film is it's denial to explore the real story of J.M. Barrie and his unusual fascination with the Davies' family. According to all accounts, Barrie started hanging around the kids before Sylvia's husband died, who moved his family to get away from Barrie. Add that to the rumors of an extra-marital affair and the pedophilia rumors and you've got some good indie drama. But Finding Neverland only seems to find the good in Barrie, his divorce, his work, and his play. And while it may seem refreshing to some; it feels incomplete to me.

The Extras

You will find commentary from the writer, producer, and director - which is standard fare. There are also deleted scenes (with optional commentary) so you can decide whether the editor was smart or not. There are also two featurettes entitled "The Magic of Finding Neverland" and "Creating Neverland," of which both could easily be seen as fodder in between movies shown on HBO (which is really what all featurettes are in the first place). The most interesting of the extras are the outtakes, which show you how Johnny Depp employs a "fart" machine to induce genuine laughter from the four boys during a pivotal dinner scene. Hey, even I laughed at that one.

I absolutely love Johnny Depp, he's a one of a kind actor. Finding Neverland shows how much a little bit of imagination can do for children. I would recommend this for 8 and up because I think younger children would have a hard time following the plot.