Do you want to see ‘Finding Neverland’?

Finding Neverland (2004)

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All Critics
Top Critics

Average Rating: 7.4/10
Reviews Counted: 201
Fresh: 166 | Rotten: 35

It won't pass muster for those looking for historical accuracy, but Finding Neverland is a warm, heartfelt drama with a charm all its own -- and Johnny Depp gives a graceful performance as Peter Pan creator J.M. Barrie.

Average Rating: 7.3/10
Critic Reviews: 39
Fresh: 31 | Rotten: 8

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Movie Info

Following up his critically acclaimed Monster's Ball, director Marc Forster took on this biography of playwright James Matthew Barrie, the scribe who penned the children's classic Peter Pan. Johnny Depp stars as the turn-of-the-century writer as the film follows Barrie as he struggles to write and have his play produced while he cares for his down-on-their-luck neighbors who inspired the story in the first place. J.M. Barrie's Neverland also stars Dustin Hoffman, Kate Winslet, and Julie Christie. ~ Matthew Tobey, Rovi

PG, 1 hr. 46 min.

Drama

Directed By: Marc Forster

Written By: David Magee

In Theaters: Nov 12, 2004 Wide

On DVD: Mar 22, 2005

Box Office:$51.6M

Miramax Films

Finding Neverland Trailer & Photos

More Photos (9)

Cast

Johnny Depp
James Barrie
Kate Winslet
Sylvia Llewelyn Davies
Julie Christie
Emma du Maurier
Radha Mitchell
Mary Ansell Barrie
Dustin Hoffman
Charles Frohman
Kelly Macdonald
"Peter Pan"
Freddie Highmore
Peter Llewelyn Davies
Ian Hart
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Eileen Essell
Mrs. Snow
Paul Whitehouse
Stage Manager
Joe Prospero
Jack Llewelyn Davies
Nick Roud
George Llewelyn Davies
Luke Spill
Michael Llewelyn Davies
Toby Jones
Smee
Kate Maberly
MacKenzie Crook

Critic Reviews for Finding Neverland

All Critics (203) | Top Critics (39) | Fresh (176) | Rotten (35) | DVD (39)

If it didn't have Johnny Depp as its star, Finding Neverland would barely pass muster as an average PBS Masterpiece Theatre entry.

February 13, 2005 Full Review Source: New York Magazine

| Comment (1)

Ken Tucker

New York Magazine

Top Critic

It's harmless cotton candy with pleasant turn-of-the-century d�cor, but I admit the Disney ambiance eventually wore me out and I spent a lot of time looking at my watch.

November 29, 2004 Full Review Source: New York Observer

| Comment

Rex Reed

New York Observer

Top Critic

Finding Neverland is not exactly the way it happened, but this is a movie with a higher truth, one we need to believe in. And you will believe. You will.

November 24, 2004 Full Review Source: Orlando Sentinel

| Comment

Roger Moore

Orlando Sentinel

Top Critic

Depp is a charm. He becomes his own, subtly compelling Barrie.

November 19, 2004 Full Review Source: Washington Post

| Comment

Desson Thomson

Washington Post

Top Critic

You're expected to weep, and perhaps you will weep. But if you do, it's not likely that you'll respect yourself in the morning.

November 19, 2004 Full Review Source: Washington Post

| Comment

Teresa Wiltz

Washington Post

Top Critic

There isn't much that's less interesting to watch Johnny Depp do than bring a quiet and steady decency to anything.

November 19, 2004 Full Review Source: Toronto Star

| Comment

Geoff Pevere

Toronto Star

Top Critic

Not about Peter Pan, and not a kids' movie.

December 24, 2010 Full Review Source: Common Sense Media

| Comment

Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

A heartfelt, beautiful film, and one of the best dramas I've seen in years.

April 29, 2009 Full Review Source: Cinema Crazed

| Comment

Felix Vasquez Jr.

Cinema Crazed

Like Big Fish and The Neverending Story, this is a film that reminds us that life, coloured by our perceptions, is what we make it; all we have to do is believe.

October 18, 2008 Full Review Source: Urban Cinefile

| Comment

Urban Cinefile Critics

Urban Cinefile

Johnny Depp makes another run at the Oscar in the shoes of author-playwright J.M. Barrie.

August 7, 2008 Full Review Source: Sacramento News & Review

| Comment

Mark Halverson

Sacramento News & Review

Finding Neverland is about hanging on to that belief in something that transcends the empirical world. It's a small, gentle, graceful motion picture.

September 19, 2007 Comment

Jeffrey Overstreet

Looking Closer

I don't know how penetrating a look it gives into the author's life, but as a film that celebrates the imagination and the power of creativity, it positively soars.

July 25, 2007 Full Review Source: Movie Metropolis

| Comment

James Plath

Movie Metropolis

full review in Greek

October 3, 2006 Full Review Source: Movies for the Masses

| Comment

Joseph Proimakis

Movies for the Masses

A charming and dramatic tearjerker that's sweet without resorting to syrup.

September 28, 2006 Comment

Russ Breimeier

Christianity Today Source: Christianity Today

Infused by an awkward decorum; the kind that descends on a gathering dominated by an unmentioned death or transgression.

February 9, 2006 Full Review Source: Time Out

| Comment

Wally Hammond

Time Out

Plenty of narrative liberties have been taken. It doesn't matter a jot. At heart, this isn't a biography anyway, it's an ode to the power of the imagination.

January 17, 2006 Full Review Source: Sydney Morning Herald

| Comment

Jason Blake

Sydney Morning Herald

A nicely played family entertainment with perhaps more mystery than it knows what to do with.

December 6, 2005 Full Review Source: Independent

| Comment

Anthony Quinn

Independent

Clap your hands for a better script.

November 18, 2005 Full Review Source: Bangor Daily News (Maine)

| Comment

Christopher Smith

Bangor Daily News (Maine)

The only spark of genuine humanity appears at the very end, but by that time most great opportunities of FINDING NEVERLAND are already lost.

June 25, 2005 Full Review Source: Draxblog Movie Reviews

| Comment

Dragan Antulov

Draxblog Movie Reviews Source: Draxblog Movie Reviews

The film's about knowing where your inner child is and letting it out to explore great worlds of adventure.

April 17, 2005 Full Review Source: Oscar Guy

| Comment

Wesley Lovell

Oscar Guy

More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for Finding Neverland

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Finding Neverland is a terrific film about author J.M Barrie's journey in creating the legendary work, Peter Pan. Starring Johnny Depp as J.M Barrie, Finding Neverland is a wonderful, well acted film with an engaging story. Kate Winslet and Johnny Depp have terrific chemistry on screen. The performances of the cast

September 12, 2011

Jeff "The Dude" Lebowski

Super Reviewer

It was okay.

June 8, 2010

Dead Angel

Super Reviewer

Finding Neverland Quotes

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1. James Barrie: You find a glimmer of happiness in this world, there's always someone who wants to destroy it.
– Submitted by Chad E (6 months ago)
1. James Barrie: Young boys should never be sent to bed... they always wake up a day older.
– Submitted by Chad E (6 months ago)

Character	Quote
	Enter quote here...	Delete

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