Finding Neverland

(Herald rating: * * * * )

This film has nothing to do with Michael Jackson. Although he too has a passing interest in children, this sweet, gentle and intelligent movie looks at the relationship between Scottish author and playwright J. M. Barrie and the Llewelyn Davies family, the inspiration behind his famous work Peter Pan.

Loosely based on true events, this film isn't a biography of Barrie's life, rather a glimpse of his life when his marriage is failing, and his inspiration for writing seems to be deserting him.

Depp plays and turns him - although we don't get to know him well - into the kind of man we'd like him to be, a man with a good heart, and a fantastic imagination.

After seeing Winslet so spectacular in the contemporary romance Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, it's nice to see her back in the corsets she wears so well.

The film, however, is stolen by Freddie Highmore as the sensitive, heartbreaking Peter. Barrie meets Sylvia Llewelyn Davies (Winslet) in the local park, and is quickly entertaining her four sons with crazy stories. The children, without a father figure, are drawn to Barrie and the stories and adventures he takes them on - all except Peter, who is still grieving for his father. Although at first Peter appears to be the main inspiration for the character of Peter Pan, and his brothers the Lost Boys of Neverland, it becomes apparent it is Barrie himself who is the quintessential boy who never grew up.

Barrie and Sylvia's relationship is portrayed as platonic, but society begins to talk about the odd relationship Barrie has with these children and their mother; as people would today.

The film deals with the relationship of a grown man playing with children in a sensitive manner. When Sylvia becomes sick, we realise how important Barrie's friendship is to the boys.

The film tries hard to take us into Barrie's vivid imagination, and we often flick between reality and Barrie's fantasy world. In doing so Finding Neverland takes us on a journey which asks us to look at the world in a different way - with our imagination.

CAST: Johnny Depp, Kate Winslet, Dustin Hoffman, Julie Christie
DIRECTOR: Damion Dietz, Marc Forster
RUNNING TIME: 101 mins
RATING: PG (adult themes)
SCREENING: Village, Rialto