What Maisie Knew

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Out this Friday. Looks interesting.

Story of a marriage break up and the fall out but told from the child's point of view. Or that's what I read about it anyway

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrGzb1nBBl4

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Saw this today.

A really beautiful film. Well worth seeing. I think it's available on some of the On Demand services as well as in the cinema so you don't even need to leave home to see it!

I wrote more about it in the "What Have You Watched Recently" thread... www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056732038&page=169

kryogen

I saw a downloaded copy of this a couple of weeks ago, didn't realise it was only coming out now, good film alright

johnny_ultimate

Certainly watchable and with some intriguing bits and pieces, but at the same time I thought it felt off. The characters only rarely felt truly three dimensional, and there were times they were clearly just serving the plot instead of t'other way around - some of the relationships I simply did not believe for a second. These points are partially the result of keeping things fragmented as Maisie perceives them, but even allowing for that I felt almost all of the four main adults needed to be developed better. Onata Aprile was an excellent choice, and it was wise to keep her as the centre of attention. But, as one reviewer put it, it's like "we're peering over her shoulder" rather than genuinely seeing and feeling things from her perspective. There were very few surprises over the course of the film, and the filmmakers didn't always earn their emotional payoffs. It lacked real bite, even feeling a tad twee at times. Matchmaker Maisie might have been a more appropriate title, with that cheeky grin of hers...

All that said, it held my attention, and it hits the mark in a few respects. The one thing they got across well was the elaborate game of custody pinball being played - they got that exhausting, frustrating back and forth rightl. Most of the cast enjoyed a scene or two when, briefly, they were allowed to transcend the often restrictive confines of the writing. And some kudos are due for not indulging in a Maisie-less scene or two to cheaply pass on some narrative information. Watchable, then, but there's the constant sense there's a darker, less compromised film with better developed characters and psychological complexity waiting to burst out.

Oh, and the last scene was dreadfully executed.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

I did think the last scene felt a bit out of place with the rest of the film. That is if you mean

where they're walking down the pier?

I thought the underdeveloped characters were in keeping with the story being from Maisie's point of view. She only knew Margo as her nanny, she only knew Lincoln as her new stepfather who worked in a bar. I think we got to see little bits and pieces of them beyond what Maisie was seeing. Personally I didn't have a problem with that aspect at all.

johnny_ultimate

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

I did think the last scene felt a bit out of place with the rest of the film. That is if you mean

where they're walking down the pier?

Yeah, the very last one. Not necessarily the content, but just the cheesy, slow-motion delivery

I thought the underdeveloped characters were in keeping with the story being from Maisie's point of view. She only knew Margo as her nanny, she only knew Lincoln as her new stepfather who worked in a bar. I think we got to see little bits and pieces of them beyond what Maisie was seeing. Personally I didn't have a problem with that aspect at all.

I was certainly allowing a leeway because of the point of view, but even then I just didn't think they took they developed the characters in a satisfying way. I think the four main cast did a good job with what they had, of course, and most of them had one or two scenes where they enjoyed some extra complexity, however fleetingly. But I don't know - as I said above, I just felt the characters were there to serve the plot more often than not. And I just don't think they really convinced me I was seeing things from Maisie's perspective - rather than her being an unreliable narrator and the potential of, it was just straight-up witnessing events she just happened to be present for. Felt that could have been pushed further - My Neighbour Totoro or Tree of Life being particularly accomplished examples of how to really get into the mind of a young protagonist. Despite the natural charisma and talent of Aprile, I never truly connected with the story. It felt compromised, and from any reviews that have acknowledged the novel it does seem like a watered down version of the tale in many respects (apparently the Margo and Lincoln characters were quite different altogether, along with Maisie herself. Must read for myself out of curiosity).

Not a bad film, I must restress, but just felt there was a better one in there.

JP Liz V1

Has this got a general release here?

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

It felt compromised, and from any reviews that have acknowledged the novel it does seem like a watered down version of the tale in many respects (apparently the Margo and Lincoln characters were quite different altogether, along with Maisie herself. Must read for myself out of curiosity).

I think the novel is set in the 60's or 70's when divorce was a relatively new thing so I think a lot of it was updated for the film. The "nanny state" idea is obviously a fairly recent thing. I was thinking I must read it myself just out of curiosity.

JP Liz V1 wrote: »

Has this got a general release here?

I'm not sure it's got a wide release but it's showing in the IFI and Lighthouse if you're in Dublin. It's also on a few of the online services like Volta and there were a few others mentioned on a promotional leaflet I was looking at. Can't remember which ones though.

johnny_ultimate

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

I think the novel is set in the 60's or 70's when divorce was a relatively new thing so I think a lot of it was updated for the film. The "nanny state" idea is obviously a fairly recent thing. I was thinking I must read it myself just out of curiosity.

Actually 1890s, so I can imagine it was particularly unique at the time.

losthorizon

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

I think the novel is set in the 60's or 70's when divorce was a relatively new thing so I think a lot of it was updated for the film. The "nanny state" idea is obviously a fairly recent thing. I was thinking I must read it myself just out of curiosity.



I'm not sure it's got a wide release but it's showing in the IFI and Lighthouse if you're in Dublin. It's also on a few of the online services like Volta and there were a few others mentioned on a promotional leaflet I was looking at. Can't remember which ones though.

Actually read the review of this film and it peaked my interest. Joined Volta to watch it (actually havent seen it yet).

Is Volta an irish site as they have a large array of Irish films?

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

losthorizon wrote: »

Actually read the review of this film and it peaked my interest. Joined Volta to watch it (actually havent seen it yet).

Is Volta an irish site as they have a large array of Irish films?

I think so, it says this on their website... Welcome to Volta, a convenient and secure video on demand website for Irish audiences. Volta was the first cinema in Ireland opened by James Joyce in 1909. Over 100 years later, the Volta name remains synonymous with the best of independent Irish and International film.

losthorizon

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

Certainly watchable and with some intriguing bits and pieces, but at the same time I thought it felt off. The characters only rarely felt truly three dimensional, and there were times they were clearly just serving the plot instead of t'other way around - some of the relationships I simply did not believe for a second. These points are partially the result of keeping things fragmented as Maisie perceives them, but even allowing for that I felt almost all of the four main adults needed to be developed better. Onata Aprile was an excellent choice, and it was wise to keep her as the centre of attention. But, as one reviewer put it, it's like "we're peering over her shoulder" rather than genuinely seeing and feeling things from her perspective. There were very few surprises over the course of the film, and the filmmakers didn't always earn their emotional payoffs. It lacked real bite, even feeling a tad twee at times. Matchmaker Maisie might have been a more appropriate title, with that cheeky grin of hers...

All that said, it held my attention, and it hits the mark in a few respects. The one thing they got across well was the elaborate game of custody pinball being played - they got that exhausting, frustrating back and forth rightl. Most of the cast enjoyed a scene or two when, briefly, they were allowed to transcend the often restrictive confines of the writing. And some kudos are due for not indulging in a Maisie-less scene or two to cheaply pass on some narrative information. Watchable, then, but there's the constant sense there's a darker, less compromised film with better developed characters and psychological complexity waiting to burst out.

Oh, and the last scene was dreadfully executed.

Very good review there. Finally got round to watching it.

It certainly kept my attention for the 90 minutes of its running time which is no mean feat as I am not really into domestic bust up type dramas. But really the little girl Onata Aprile who played Maise was brilliant as were her two foster parents. I thought Moore had a part that really didn't suit her and Coogan was Grand. Having said that I was emotionally hooked by the storyline and Maises future.

On a side note it was the first time I have ever bought and streamed a feature film as I am a strictly cinema person but I was just getting totally fed up with what was on offer at the local flea pit.