Shreveport celebrates PETER PAN's 100th anniversary with a screening of FINDING NEVERLAND~~
“FINDING NEVERLAND will make a believer out of you,” writes Shreveport Times reviewer Alexandyr Kent, who attended last night’s festival screening. FINDING NEVERLAND’s screenwriter, David Magee, was the guest of honor at the event, designed to celebrate the 100th anniversary of J. M. Barrie’s children’s classic, PETER PAN. Magee spoke to the crowd about his conception of the film and the importance of the imagination. The screenplay is designed to show parallels between playwright J. M. Barrie’s real life and the fantasy world of PETER PAN, as Barrie becomes a surrogate father to the real Peter and his brothers: “The story of FINDING NEVERLAND becomes Barrie’s struggle to create a believable Peter Pan and teach the real Peter to trust his imagination,” explains Kent.
Kent gives the film a rave review, especially singling out the “complex” performance of Johnny Depp and the heart-rending portrayal of Peter Davies by young Freddie Highmore. “The magic of FINDING NEVERLAND lies in the way it subtly interweaves visions of reality with those of fantasy,” writes Kent, and he finds the film a worthy addition to PETER PAN lore. Thanks to Mad Scntst for sharing Kent’s review with the Zone!