Finding Neverland (Blu-ray) (2004)

"Depp and Winslet in particular are, as you might expect, immaculate.  Glenn Kenny, Premiere
"Pure magic.  Lou Lumenick, New York Post
"...an intellectual family film for literate parents and children, immensely pleasing...determinedly charming.  Michael Wilmington, Chicago Tribune
"Glorious entertainment.  Peter Travers, Rolling Stone
"A rewarding piece of filmmaking that has all the makings of a classic...  Ray Bennett, Hollywood Reporter

Editor's Note Most people know the story of Peter Pan, the boy who refused to grow up. Director Marc Forster's (MONSTER'S BALL) FINDING NEVERLAND delves deeper, depicting a fictionalized account of the family and events that inspired the classic tale. At the turn of the 20th Century, Scottish playwright J.M. Barrie's (Johnny Depp) latest play in London has flopped almost as badly as his marriage to stature-seeking Mary (Radha Mitchell). During one of his frequent excursions to the park with his dog, Barrie meets four young boys and their recently widowed mother, Sylvia Llewelyn Davies (Kate Winslet). Soon Barrie becomes a frequent playmate to the children, using the boys' imagination to take them on fanciful adventures. He also becomes a friend and confidante to the overwhelmed Sylvia, much to the dismay of her overbearing mother (Julie Christie). Barrie's active imagination and interaction with the family inspires "Peter Pan," a play that celebrates the child in everyone and the importance of believing in fantasies and miracles. A droll and amusing Dustin Hoffman appears as American Charles Frohman, Barrie's producer. The film also features young Freddie Highmore as Peter Llewelyn Davies, the inspiration for Barrie's title character.

	Dustin Hoffman
	Freddie Highmore
	Johnny Depp
	Julie Christie
	Kate Winslet
	Kelly Macdonald
	Mackenzie Crook
	Radha Mitchell
	Allam Knee - Based On Play By
	David Magee - Screenplay
	Harvey Weinstein - Executive Producer
	Jan A.P. Kaczmarek - Original Music By
	Marc Forster - Director
	Matt Chesse - Editor
	Peter Russell - Art Director
	Richard N. Gladstein - Producer
	Roberto Schaefer - Cinematographer

New York Times
"Mr. Depp and Ms. Winslet are pleasant to watch..." 11/12/2004 p.E1

USA Today
"[A] lovely, poignant and in some ways old-fashioned movie....The story is told gently and simply without excess sentimentality." 11/12/2004 p.6E

Los Angeles Times
"Depp and Winslet share a rare combination of airiness, earthiness and sharp, wry intelligence. With his gleaming black hair, quiet grace and molten eyes, Depp makes Barrie's ability to conjure imaginary worlds seem magical." 11/12/2004 p.E1

Entertainment Weekly
"FINDING NEVERLAND is studded with little pleasures....The movie glows..." 11/19/2004 p.61

Movieline's Hollywood Life
"Winslet brims with warmth, and Julie Christie gives a tart performance....All the actors benefit from the sensitive hand of director Marc Forster..." 12/01/2004 p.103

Rolling Stone
"[G]lorious entertainment. It shimmers with the promise of enchantment....The film sparks with comic life..." 11/25/2004 p.100

Uncut
"[I]t's about the creative process, the power of the imagination and the place where imagination dwells..." 04/01/2005 p.144

Total Film
"[T]his is sweet without being sugary..." 07/01/2006 p.128

Ultimate DVD
4 stars out of 5 -- "[A]n engrossing period piece with stunning scenery, beautiful costumes and sweet flights of fancy as we enter the world of Barrie's unbridled imagination." 05/01/2007 p.83

ReelViews 8 of 10
Finding Neverland uses strands of historical fact to weave a story that is largely fictional. Yes, J.M. Barrie did write "Peter Pan," and, yes, many of the characters in the film existed, but this is predominantly a soft-ball approach to the inspiration that led Barrie to write his most famous play...Still, even considering the liberties taken with the known record (and I have often said that movies should not be constrained by the same rules that govern history books), the end result is compelling and life-affirming...Finding Neverland is best described as a "safe" movie. It does what it sets out to do, but never attempts anything risky. It is by turns tender, humorous, and touching, but it never attempts anything that would elevate it to the next level...Finding Neverland deserves a recommendation because it works on an emotional and, to a lesser degree, intellectual level. - James Berardinelli

Chicago Sun-Times 9 of 10
For Depp, "Finding Neverland" is the latest in an extraordinary series of performances. After his Oscar nomination for "Pirates of the Caribbean" (2003), here is another role that seems destined for nomination. And then think of his work in "Secret Window" (2004), the Stephen King story about the author caught in a nightmare, and his demented CIA agent in "Once Upon a Time in Mexico" (2003), and wait until you see him in "The Libertine," as the depraved and shameless Earl of Rochester. That the flamboyance of his pirate and the debauchery of the Earl could exist in the same actor as the soft-spoken, gentle, inward J.M. Barrie is remarkable. It is commonplace for actors to play widely differing roles, but Depp never makes it feel like a reach; all of these notes seem well within his range. - Roger Ebert