| Overall Grade: |
B+ |
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| Story: |
B |
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| Acting: |
A |
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| Direction: |
B+ |
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| Visuals: |
A |
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Terrific starring debut for Elle Fanning
by Michael B (movies profile)
Jan 20, 2009
3
of
4 people found this review helpful
Elle Fanning stars as Phoebe, a girl who doesn't quite fit in, and who finds it increasingly difficult to conform to the rules around her, whether at home, in the classroom or on the playground. When she becomes part of a school production of Alice in Wonderland, the line between reality and fantasy is all but lost for her, as her behavior becomes increasingly upsetting and dangerous.
The film has some beautiful sequences: the title sequence, and a shot of Phoebe in front of the sign-up board for Alice in Wonderland were particularly striking.
In terms of acting, all of the main characters were excellent. Phoebe is a troubled young girl, and Fanning was both charming and disturbing as she moved smoothly between a happy 9 year old and an obsessive, frightened child with a shaky hold on reality. Phoebe's mother (Felicity Huffman) struck me as being one step away from a straight jacket herself, but there was no acknowledgement in the script that mom may have had issues of her own, so either Huffman overplayed the character, or the writer/director felt there was no need to state the obvious. Bill Pullman was fine as the father, the only "normal" adult in the film, frustrated with Phoebe's inability to behave, infuriated by his wife's reactions, and ashamed at himself when his feelings come out in hurtful words.
My biggest complaint is that film shows a very troubled young girl, and then apparently implies that once they put a name on Phoebe's condition, everything is fine. The actors do a convincing job of showing how messed up Phoebe's life is, but the script gives few details about how long the happy ending will last.
In the ending of "The Sixth Sense", when Cole (Haley Joel Osment) talks to his mom, she understands he isn't crazy. When he stars in the school play, you know he's fitting in socially. He's overcome the issues that were burdening him. Phoebe isn't wrapped up so neatly, but then real issues rarely are. |
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