Tonight I caught a sneak peak showing of "Finding Neverland", a film inspired by the story of how James Barrie came to befriend a widow with 4 boys, and how that friendship provided the inspiration for Barrie to write "Peter Pan," a play/story that has enthralled the young and old alike for a century now.

Johnny Depp is very good in his role as Barrie (though his accent sounded more Irish than Scottish, and Barrie was born a Scot, but moved to London, so why he sounded Irish, I have no idea, maybe Scots in 1904 sounded Irish, but it's just a minor quibble). Kate Winslet is also up to the task as Sylvia Llewelyn Davies, the widow with 4 boys. The Llewelyn Davies boys are good, but the boy (Freddie Highmore) playing Peter was really good in capturing the complexity of childhood and having to deal with his father's early demise from a child's perspective where the world appears to be a fair place to live, but events conspire to take away that worldview in the blink of an eye.

I normally don't tear up at movies, but there is something about how this film builds up the relationships, confronts the age of innocence and the question of just when does it end, and adulthood begin. There's a subtle moment in the film that captures that transition, and you can't help but get teary-eyed as Barrie does what he knows best to stave off adulthood trappings as best he can for the boys (and perhaps himself as well) by writing the play, but it's a losing battle in some respects, but in others, his enduring play gives the audience a chance to recapture that innocent time where all things are possible and magic is part and parcel with that special place in one's heart, Neverland, where the best of everything is waiting for each one of us regardless of the events of adulthood that work to erode that child-like perspective in all of us.

By the end of the film, not a dry eye in the house, and each tear and sniffle was earned by a worthy screenplay, solid direction, and very good acting performances all around. The film draws on the emotional power of finding a way to access your own personal Neverland in order to deal with what life has in store for you.

I give it 3.75 stars, or a grade of A-.

This is crowd pleaser, indeed.

But I really couldn't get past Julie Christie's performance as the clichéd disapproving grandmother. A very weak acting job, and poor directorial choice.

Just got an email with an offer to possibly win 2 free tickets to see this movie at select theaters in the U.S. The link is:

http://www.familycircle.com/findingneverland

and the list of participating theaters is:

Baltimore, MD
Loews White Marsh Theatre

Dallas, TX
Loews Keystone Park Theatre

Indianapolis, IN
Loews College Park Theatre

Orlando, FL
Loews Cineplex
Universal Cineplex 20

Plainville, CT
Loews Plainville

Seattle, WA
Loews Cineplex
Woodinville Theatre

-Gunshy

Saw this last night -- great flick! Depp was great (as always) as was the supporting cast. I was really impressed with the direction by Marc Forster (Monster's Ball).

Just saw it. VERY VERY good. Patman hit the nail on the head.

It appears I indeed will have to see this movie, as I am still trying to put off adulthood at 47.

I actually felt that this movie was a slight disappointment. Depp does a commendable job, but gathering from a review of the film, the filmmakers really candy coated the story and fictionalized J.M. Barrie's real life persona into very little dimensionality, that it barely felt like the filmmakers scratched the surface into a much more detailed story. The emotions felt forced and the ending dialogue scene was way too smaltzy and corny.

This was really solid effort and good film.

I also felt it was too short and that Depp's character should've taken things farther along.

Still highly enjoyable, and nice performances.

This is a tearjerker if I've ever seen one, but not necessarily a chick flick.

Finally saw this, as it had been postponed from late November. One of the best three films of the year for me that I have seen, along side Eternal Sunshine and Garden State. Enjoyable, well done and definitely an emotion getter. Hopefully it will get an oscar nod and win, especially for Johnny Depp's work.

I couldn't agree more with most of the comments here. This movie is indeed a tearjerker, yet not a depressing tearjerker. It's an fantastic film with amazing visuals. What I loved most of this film is the visuals used to give you a feeling/emotions for a scene. It is my new favorite movie this year! Hope this movie does take home a few oscars.

This year is going to be a tough run, many good movies: Eternal Sunshine, Garden State, Passion, Aviator...so many can't even name them all.

I loved this film, definitely one of the year's best.

Johnny Depp - brilliant.

I disagree with the poster who criticized Julie Christie's performance. She was stuck in a clichéd role but she was beautiful in it and the part, taken overall, was still much more than one-dimensional. She could easily have overplayed it and she didn't. I love Christie and we see her far too seldom. I thought she was one of the best things about the film.

Saw it. Great movie, but boy what a tearjerker, especially the last ten minutes.

Depp really deserves a nom., and a win IMO. As far as the movie winning Best Picture, well, I think Sideways was better, but this is more of the type to win that award, even moreso than The Aviator, which I haven't seen.

I also loved the film quite a bit, and definitely one of the best pictures of the year. Johnny Depp did not let me down with one of my favorite performances of his and of the year. He plays Barrie subtly, but you still feel that this man still has an imagnation of a young child, and a lot of heart.

I thought the direction of Marc Forster was wondrous and magical when showing the Barrie’s imagination integrated into his innocent play with the four boys of Kate Winslet, who is also charming in her own right. Yes, the ending is a tear jerker, and a mighty satisfying one.

Going tomorrow night, finally. Can't freakin' wait .