Phoebe in Wonderland (PG-13) ★★★
Strong, sympathetic performances anchor this wistful drama about a young girl, who retreats into her imagination as a way with dealing with life. Don't we all.
Story
Phoebe (Elle Fanning) is a particularly bright and imaginative child, yet she's not entirely able to relate to her family and those around her. When she is cast in her school's production of Alice in Wonderland, she begins to confuse reality with fantasy – which causes problems at school and at home, exacerbating tensions within her family.
Acting
Like older sister Dakota, Elle Fanning is an uncommonly talented and persuasive actress -- and because the story is told almost entirely from her perspective -- a lot of it rests on her shoulders; she comes through with flying colors. Fanning is also surrounded by a first-rate supporting cast that includes Felicity Huffman and Bill Pullman as her parents, Patricia Clarkson as the sort of teacher whose unorthodox methodology endears her to her students, and Campbell Scott as the sort of smug, officious school principal with no ability to connect with children. Down the line, the performances are the glue which holds this film together.
Direction
This could have been an absolute wallow in sentiment, or a cable-TV "Disease-of-the-Week" movie, and although first-time writer/director Daniel Barnz can't entirely avoid it, he at least makes the effort to steer the film into the ethereal as opposed to the predictable (and pedantic). In trying to recapture the innocence and imagination of a young child, the film has its fair share of emotionally affecting moments – as well as some humorous ones. It's not a perfect film, but it's a laudably ambitious and worthwhile one.
Bottom Line
Hollywood.com rated this film 3 stars.
To get the full Quicklook Films experience, uncheck "Enable on this Site" from Adblock Plus
box office top 10
Challengers Released: April 26, 2024 Cast: Zendaya, Josh O'Connor 15M
Unsung Hero Released: April 26, 2024 Cast: Daisy Betts, Joel Smallbone 7.8M
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire Released: March 29, 2024 Cast: Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry 7.2M
Civil War Released: April 12, 2024 Cast: Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura 7M
Abigail Released: April 19, 2024 Cast: Melissa Barrera, Dan Stevens 5.3M
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare Released: April 19, 2024 Cast: Henry Cavill, Eiza Gonzalez 3.9M
Kung Fu Panda 4 Released: March 8, 2024 Cast: Jack Black, Viola Davis 3.6M
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire Released: March 22, 2024 Cast: Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon 3.3M
Dune: Part Two Released: March 1, 2024 Cast: Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson 2M
Boy Kills World Released: April 26, 2024 Cast: Bill Skarsgård, Famke Janssen 1.7M