Finding Neverland (2004)

A refreshing, though sad film, Finding Neverland carries its viewer back to the point where he or she grew up and abandoned that little boy or little girl.

Johnny Depp plays a terrific Peter Pan playwrite and gives us a glimpse into the roots of the story, his friendship with a widow and her four sons. Though the adults are superb in the film, it is really the children who carry the emotional weight of the story, in particular the Peter character.

Another conflict besides the growing up theme is that of work and home. Depp's character is so absorbed in his work that his already cold marriage grows colder, perhaps an issue of his wife having grown up too much.

The camera work is super, especially in the theatre. There is a playfulness to it and it adds just enough nuance to make the viewer gravitate to the screen, sometimes a rare feature for a drama.

Official Site | IMDB