Learning To Believe

Playwright James M. Barrie sometimes saw critical acclaim for his work elude him. At the premiere of one of these plays, Barrie (Johnny Depp) watched eagerly for an audience response. His producer, Charles Frohman (Dustin Hoffman), would like to see Barrie's plays turn a profit. After one of his plays met with a quick closure, Barrie unexpectedly finds the inspiration for his most acclaimed work, "Peter Pan," while taking his dog for a walk in the park. "Finding Neverland" tells the tale of that process. Barrie meets Slyvia Llewellyn Davies (Kate WInslet), a recent widow with four young sons. Her boys take a liking to the dog, but Sylvia tells James she's concerned about her son Peter (Freddie Highmore). He has never shown any emotion over the loss of his father. James talks with the boy, who notices that the writer is jotting down some thoughts, and convinces Peter to keep a journal of his thoughts. The friendship with Sylvia's family soon grows from meetings in the park to visits to her home. Sylvia's other sons, George (Nick Roud), Jack (Joe Prospero), and Michael (Luke Spill) quickly become as attached to James and his dog as Sylvia and Peter have. Little do they know that they're about to become the basis of his next work.

As he continues to work on his next play and spend time with Sylvia's family, James hears concerns on several fronts. His wife, Mary (Radha Mitchell) understands his creative side, but insists that he come home to her at night. Sylvia's mother, Emma Du Maurier (Julie Christie), complains about having to run two households. Sylvia is still coping with her husband's death, and Emma sees James's visit as a distraction, among other things. Fellow author Arthur Conan Doyle (Ian Hart) advises his friend that there's been talk about him and Sylvia, and that the talk hasn't necessarily been nice. James ultimately finds himself caught between two worlds as things change in Sylvia's life. While these things take place, he faces an uphill battle to sell his producer and the cast on his new play.

"Finding Neverland" is based on actual events in the life of J. M. Barrie, as well as on Allan Knee's play about the creation of Peter Pan. Director Marc Forster, whose previous film was "Monster's Ball" in 2001, once again deals with the subjects of death and resurrection. In "Monster's Ball," two very different people find themselves drawn together by losses in their families. At the beginning of "Finding Neverland," Sylvia has lost her husband, and James has written a play that met nobody's expectations. Frohman and the actors hired for the roles react with skepticism when they first read through "Peter Pan." As they rehearse and get laughs, they start to see the play as something special. New death and resurrection, however, await the main characters later in the film. When Sylvia's children learn that the play is based on the games they've played, they're excited about seeing it for themselves. James even arranges to have a special staging in the Davies home. Screen scenarist David Magee blends the film's themes with a look at life and the creative process that seems just as timely now as they may have seemed 100 years ago. Forster quietly builds his film toward its highest point, which comes at the very end, when two characters translate the magic of "Peter Pan" to their own lives.

I can't think of a film where I wasn't thoroughly impressed by the performance of Johnny Depp. He has become a variety of characters in his career, but his portrayal of real-life author J. M. Barrie is one of his most memorable. Depp brings a gentle nature to his portrayal of Barrie, as well as a brogue that sounds authentically Scottish. As he gets to know Sylvia and her sons, he begins to sense a void for which no amount of creativity can compensate. Even though he's married, the Barries have no children. Being with Peter and his brothers gives James a look at what it might be like to be a parent, and what it's like to share his gifts in a personal way. Just like Peter Pan, J. M. Barrie has found his way to a place he doesn't want to leave. Barrie also has to make some hard decisions, just like his most famous character. Depp delivers in his usual exceptional way. Christie and Hoffman also make the most of their supporting moments as a concerned parent and a concerned producer. Winslet, Mitchell, and the children deliver strong performances as well.

"Finding Neverland" should not, by any means, be construed as another screen version of "Peter Pan." It's about an adult dealing with adult situations while creating a work that has become his most enduring. J. M. Barrie finds success with his play, but that success comes at a high personal cost. Through his play, Barrie and those closest to him learn some valuable lessons about themselves. They learn success might be nearer than they imagined, and that the greatest failure in life is to not allow themselves to fully experience it. Few situations are permanent, but reconnecting with the joys of childhood can be just a wish away. Neverland may be a place that was created by James M. Barrie, but anyone can pay a visit when they choose to believe.