What Maisie Knew (2012)

 “I’m her…sorta..like.. Maisie’s stepfather” – Lincoln

Number of Times Seen –  1 (13 Feb 2014)

Brief Synopsis – A nasty divorce told from the perspective of a 6 year old girl.

My Take on it – This movie was recommended to me by Mikey @ Screenkicker.

I hadn’t heard about this one before, but was quite impressed with the way it was done.

I personally have been thru a messy divorce and know of numerous others who have also.  One thing that happens in divorce situations very often is that both sides try to do what’s best for them first and foremost and only after that do they think of any child welfare.

Too often, when people deal with their own problems they forget to think about others that are affected by the situation

Sad, but very true.

This movie tells the story of a divorce completely from the child’s perspective and it is very effective.  The child actress who plays Maisie (Onata Aprile) appears in every scene in this movie and many times, we only hear parts of “adult” conversations which gives us an even clearer child perspective (since rarely do 6 years old understand everything going on around them).

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a movie that tells a story straight from a child’s perspective. (Even the camera shots are quite often from a child’s view).

The thing with this movie is that its unique perspective is both its saving grace and also its minor flaw.   The fact that we only hear parts of conversations requires the viewer to put together parts of the plot on their own which are left purposely ambiguous.

Not everything in movies need to be spoon fed, but it all depends on the type of movie.

After watching this, Mikey informed me that this movie was based on a book by Henry James from the late 19th Century which just blew my mind.

It’s hard to believe that something like this was written over a hundred years ago (as a concept obviously) and still ring true now.

I guess it just goes to show that people and their situations don’t change much even after a century.  People who are selfish will remain selfish.

Bottom Line – Amazing idea. Skillfully done but something is slightly missing from it. Recommended!

Rating – Globe Worthy

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